


Peorth

by Linzithecat



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Animagus, Child Abuse, Gen, Severitus | Severus Snape is Harry Potter's Parent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:42:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28671711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linzithecat/pseuds/Linzithecat
Summary: I am reposting this, previously it has been online as Peorth by Bleudiablo, who was me a life time ago.After his uncle burns all of his belongings, Harry makes his way hurt and injured to Hogwarts, changed into his animals form he forms a bond with his man in black and starts to explore the magical world.
Relationships: Harry Potter & Severus Snape
Comments: 71
Kudos: 338





	1. Found

Harry Potter stared at Number Four Privet Drive, more than a little reluctant to knock on the door and hope that his aunt or even worse his worse his uncle would answer it and let him in. Hagrid had just left him with his ticket to Hogwarts and said he would see him in a few weeks. Harry knew that nothing good lay behind that innocent looking door and, even as he was thinking of running away (he could stay at the Leaky Cauldron for the summer, couldn’t he?), his uncle opened the door and motioned him in.

The next two hours were quite possibly the worst of his young life so far, including the beating he had received when he appeared on the roof at school. First his uncle tied him to a chair in the garden and Harry was forced to watch as his newly bought school supplies were burnt.

Harry was very glad he had had the foresight to hide his wand. He couldn’t imagine how much it would hurt to see the wand consumed by the fire. The piece of Holly and Phoenix feather was already part of him.

Even harder to watch was Dudley using a caged Hedwig for target practice with the new air pistol that he had received for his birthday. But the worst part, more awful than the beating he had received, was when Vernon broke Hedwig’s neck and chucked her on the fire without a care in the world, as if he hadn’t just killed a living creature.

Harry woke as his body hit the wall of his cupboard. For a few blissful seconds his body was numb; then the pain hit. His ankle, ribs and wrist hurt the most but it felt like his entire body was bruised. He heard his cupboard door slam shut and lock, then his uncle growling, “You can stay in there for the next six weeks.”

Harry gasped in disbelief; that was more than five times any of his previous punishments. He wondered idly if he would get any food or water. Sometimes he did and sometimes he didn’t. Before he could come to a conclusion, he passed out again.

When Harry next woke, the pain had dulled slightly and his watch told him it was half past two in the morning. The watch was not really Harry’s, it had been Dudley’s until the larger boy had taken the glass off and snapped the second hand off. Harry had cleaned it, covered the exposed remaining hands with some tape and was careful to never let his “family” see it as Dudley would take it back and break it just to spite him.

He knew that if he was going to get to Hogwarts, if he was going to survive, then he had to get out of his cupboard before his uncle nailed it up. Harry had always known he was different and able to do things that other people could not but he had learnt early on to keep those skills hidden. He had accidentally revealed his ability with locks to his uncle when, on the sixth day of a punishment, he had unlocked his door to get some water and was caught by his uncle coming down for a midnight snack.

Ever since then, whenever he was locked in his cupboard, it also meant that wooden planks were nailed across the door. Harry was sure that if it was possible, his uncle would make Harry nail the planks himself but his uncle had not yet nailed the door.

Harry assumed it was because the older man thought he would be unconscious or too weak to escape until morning. Luckily, Harry had always been a quick healer. It had not been enough time to heal properly but he could move to know that he could make his escape. It took longer than normal but eventually the door opened with a small click and he could see the moonlight illuminating the hall.

He took his first step and gasped, the pain in his ankle was terrible and Harry guessed it was probably broken rather than just bruised. He knew his ribs and wrist were broken, he recognised the feelings, but he had never broken his ankle before. Harry took nothing with him as he left four Privet Drive, not even something to lean on, he wanted nothing to link him to this horrible place, he didn’t care what anyone said he was not returning to this place.

It was not until he reached the end of the street that the injured boy realised that not only did he have no idea where Hogwarts was, but that his determination to leave was not going to get him much further than he had got. He wondered if he could do that strange thing again, three times in the past he had turned into an animal by accident, he had had to hide from his family until it had worn off, earning him a punishment from his uncle for hiding from them to get out of his chores.

He had not been able to work out what animal he was, he had even snuck out to the public library to look in the bigger books then he could find at school but had never been able to find anything the same. The closest he had come was a black panther but he had green eyes and big black leather wings. The first time it had happened he had been totally black but the second time he had had dark grey markings like a leopard’s and the third time those marks had been lighter, even easier to see.

Harry limped off the path towards a small group of trees, he slid carefully to the ground and tried to curl up best he could, thankfully the night was still warm and the ground was dry. He had used magic to open the door to his cupboard and he assumed it was magic that allowed him to change into an animal so he focused on the feeling that he had when he opened the door but this time thinking about changing form.

It seemed to take forever, the changes slow as he forced that warmth to spread along his limbs, his ankle and wrist burned bright for a couple of seconds and then he knew the change had happened. His vision was sharper, he could feel his wings laying on the ground and he could smell the blood that covered him even more. He still had half of his limbs broken, which gave him no advantage walking but he did have wings; two huge wings that he hoped would carry his weight.

It took a few minutes to get the movement of his wings synchronised and a few more to work out how to take off and then he was off. He decided to go to Diagon Alley, it was the only magical place of he knew the location and luckily London was not too far away. He assumed it was his magic but as soon as he had decided he was headed to London, it had been like a giant compass in his mind pointing in the correct direction.

With frequent breaks for unused muscles, it didn’t reach the Leaky Cauldron until Midmorning. Thankfully he had realised on one of this stops that people couldn’t see him, so there was no panicked gasps as he landed in London amongst all the muggles and made his way towards the Leaky Cauldron very slowly.

Tired and sore, he limped through the door behind a witch and started to look for somewhere he could hide so that he could try to turn back into his human form. He was hobbling past a man dressed all in black who smelt like dampness and sandalwood, when he heard the magic words.

“Are you still teaching at Hogwarts then, Professor Snape?”

Not only did this nice smelling man seem to know Hogwarts but he also appeared to work there and maybe even live there. Harry looked up, he saw a nose slightly too large for its owner and greasy hair, and waited for the man to answer.

“Of course Tom someone has to keep the little brats in line, I’ve just ordered the last of the supplies I need for this term.”

It was all Harry needed to know before he let out the most pathetic sound he could muster, hoping that if he wanted to be seen then the nice smelling man would be able to see him. Onyx eyes swung down and for a second it seemed like he couldn’t see Harry, so he let out another sound and concentrated on his spark and being seen.

The professor blinked, blinked again and then his eyes focused on Harry’s, “Who are you, little one?”

Harry just made a sound of pain and held his broken wrist out for inspection. The man knelt down and carefully took hold of his wrist.

“Looks broken to me, little one.”

Harry mewled in agreement and carefully turned to that the man could see his ankle that was also broken. Professor Snape said nothing else but Harry found himself being picked up, he settled his wings to his back as he was gently cradled against a slim chest. Strong fingers stroked though his fur on his chest and Harry shifted slightly to relieve some of the pressure on his chest as the man stood up.

“Is it really a Panivco?” The bartender asked. Harry thought the Professor had called him Tom.

“It looks like it but only a cub and a badly beaten one at that.”

So that’s what he was, a Panivco cub, not that the information told him much but it was nice to be able to put a name to the creature he could become.

“Take him through to Al at the Magical Menagerie. I’m sure he can fix the little guy up.”

“I would rather take him back to Hagrid at Hogwarts. He may only be the groundskeeper but he knows his beasts,” Professor Snape replied.

Harry was practically purring. Not only was the nice smelling man holding him more gently and carefully than anyone in memory ever had, but he was also going to take him to Hogwarts and to Hagrid, Harry’s only friend.

“May we use your floo?”

“Of course Professor, take good care of the little guy.”

Harry frowned as they stepped into a fireplace and the Professor dropped some powder, making the flames turn green. “Shrieking Shack,” Professor Snape said and then they were tumbling around like they were on a roller coaster before being spat out the other side.

Harry squeaked in protest and tried to get away from the man but strong hands held him tight to the thin chest and that deep voice soothed him. “Stop that you Silly Creature, we are both safe, it was only the floo system.”

Harry made a squeak of enquiry.

“Yes, safe, and only a short walk from Hagrid’s home and medical treatment for you.”

Harry snuggled into the warm chest making a contented sound as they left the shack they had arrived in. He would have missed his first sight of Hogwarts if Professor Snape had not pointed it out to him. “And there is Hogwarts, only a few more minutes before we get some help, Silly Creature.”

Harry squeaked indignantly.

“Yes, you are a Silly Creature. I would never hurt you. Panivcos are very rare and you are only a cub. I would never hurt a youngster.”

Harry just settled into the strong, safe and nice smelling arms and waited for the time that he would not hurt any more. It was not long until they reached a very large hut and Hagrid appeared with a large dog. The man looked just as big and safe as he had the day he had rescued Harry from the Dursley’s.

“What you got there, Professor?”

“A Panivco cub. It looks he has been injured, probably beaten.”

“A Panivco cub? Long time since I saw one of them and she was nearly full grown. You better bring him in and we’ll see what can be done to help the little one.”

Professor Snape carried him into the hut and placed him on a huge table before stepping back. Harry tried to stay relaxed as Hagrid’s huge hands explored all of his small body, only just stopped himself from scrambling back into Professor Snape’s arms.

“I think you’re right Professor. His left wrist and right hock are broken, as are some of his ribs, and he is covered in cuts and bruises. I have salve for the cuts and bruises and, unless you know a mild bone mending charm, I will splint his limbs.”

“I know the Healico-Summa charm. It is used on children under five who can’t handle the magical strain of the other charms. The disadvantage is that the fracture is soft for the next week.”

Hagrid nodded, “I am sure we’ll manage, if you wouldn’t mind Professor. I’ll sort out the scraps and bruises, then leave both joints and his ribs to you.”

A few minutes later Harry breathed a sigh of relief as the main sources of pain vanished. He gave a content purr as large hands started rubbing something into his fur that made him feel warm and the pain slowly leaked away.

“I will leave him in your capable hands, Hagrid. I assume you can find a safe home for him.”

“Of course, Professor.”

Harry watched as the nice smelling man left Hagrid’s hut. Suddenly, he felt cold and alone. Why was the man leaving him? Where was His man going without him? He started to squeal in distress and try to leap after His man but it was no good. Strong and very large hands held him firmly in place but it didn’t stop him from trying to get free.

Then suddenly they were moving towards the door, Hagrid opened it and there was His man, already walking back towards them. With a sudden burst of movement, Harry broke free from Hagrid and glided to land in His man’s arms, purring contentedly as he head butted Snape’s chin and shoulder.

“What’s wrong with you now, you silly creature?” His man asked. But like the last time, ‘silly creature’ was obviously a term of endearment.

Harry just continued to make sure that His man had his scent all over him so that no one would steal His man.

It was Hagrid who answered the question. “Most Panivcos bond to a mentor figure at around his age. Normally this would be a parent or older brother or sister, but I think he might have started to form the bond with you. At the beginning of the bond he won’t like you being out of his sight. The bond should allow you to sense his emotions and his location to a point.”

His man stroked his chest and throat. “Well, I suppose we are stuck together. How long will the bond last?”

“As long as the cub needs it.”

“How old do you think he is?”

“Panivcos live to an average of about 250 to 300 years. As a cub, he is less than fifty years old. From the colour of his markings, I would guess somewhere between eight, when the marks start to appear, and thirty five when they turn snow white. I’m guessing somewhere near the earlier end of the scale as the marks are still pretty dark.”

“Thank you, Hagrid. May I take some more of the salve?”

“Of course, Professor. Just rub it in again in about six hours.”

A few minutes later and they were walking towards Hogwarts. A strange smelling finger was rubbing across Harry’s nose and lips. With a small lunge, Harry drew the finger into his mouth and suckled on it.

His man stopped walking and looked down at him, lifting Harry’s head until he met His man’s eyes. “Silly creature. I make potions! What if I had had something poisonous on my finger?”

Harry gave a muffled apologetic squeak but didn’t let go of His man’s finger.

“You are without a doubt a silly creature and next time you feel the need to remove any of my extremities by suction alone ask first.”

Harry nodded and suckled a bit harder.

“Severus, I don’t believe I have ever seen you being so pleasant to another living being,” a female voice teased from behind them. Harry let go of His man’s finger and turned to look at a woman who smelt like cats and had her hair in a tight bun. Severus, His man’s name was Severus. His Severus.

“Minerva. A pleasure as always and the cub has done nothing to insult me.”

Harry did not like the cold tone in His man’s voice and the cat-lady’s next words made a shiver run through his body.

“And what have the students ever done to you?”

“They are silly children who think that life is a game where they may start over as often as they like.”

“You were like them once, Severus.”

“No, I wasn’t Minerva. James Potter saw to that.” Harry perked up at the mention of his father. No one had ever really told him about his father.

“James Potter was never the monster that you claimed him to be.”

“Neither was he a saint like you claimed him to be. Are you looking forward to the next generation of Potters arriving in less than a month to join your house?”

Harry’s bad feeling returned with a vengeance, telling him that His man would not like Harry much as a human.

“Harry is not James and it would do you well to remember that, Severus.”

“Harry Potter like his father will be a stuck-up idiot who thinks he is superior to everyone else and is used to being waited on hand and foot.”

Harry shivered as he heard Severus talk about him like he was Dudley. He had not even met the man in his human form! What if all of the wizarding world was like that?

Slim hands tipped Harry’s head back where he had hidden it in Severus’ robes and he met concerned eyes, “Are you cold?”

Harry shrugged, unable to tell His man that the shivers were really from fear and anxiety about when the truth would come out!


	2. A Name

Severus looked back up at his colleague now that the Panivco cub was settled inside his robes. He would really have to think of a name for the Silly creature before the cub started to think that ‘Silly Creature’ was it. Minerva had a very strange look on her face. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you fuss so much, even about yourself. I must go and see Hagrid. I’ll see you at dinner.” 

Severus nodded and the strict looking witch strode past him, she made him feel like he was still a student sometimes and he hated it.

As they approached Hogwarts, Severus turned so that the cub could see the school. “As you know this is Hogwarts, where I work. Is this acceptable as your new home?” 

The cub yelped in a way that he understood as: ‘yes’, Severus guessed it was part of the development of the bond between them. 

Severus received no reply from the cub except a contented purr as he stroked the soft head and neck. He wondered if the cub was hungry, even what the cub would eat so maybe the library would be a good place to start. So a trip to the library was his first stop before returning to his rooms in the dungeon.

The library was deserted, even Madame Pince wasn’t present, ready to follow him around the library, like she had done ever since his sixth year. It hadn’t even been his fault that those books had been destroyed, as ever James Potter had been the one to thrown the curse that had destroyed them, not that it had mattered. Madame Pince had just seen him and Golden Potter surrounded by destroyed books and believed Potter’s innocence. 

The Ins and Outs of Mystical Creatures by Janer Somes was the book he wanted and it was easily found without the nosey librarian there to interfere. Many years earlier, he had read another book that had referred to The Ins and Outs of Mystical Creatures as having more information on magical creatures than any other. He had known the book was in the library but that it could not be checked out and, as he was not allowed to read in the library anymore and as a student was not allowed to copy pages, he had never bothered to read it. One tap of his wand later and all the information he needed was neatly bound to be carried back down to his dungeons. 

Severus lit the fire in his sitting room and removed his outer robes before sitting down on the sofa and arranging the small cub so he was on his lap, stroking soft fur with one hand and holding the pages in his other hand so he could start looking at the information. 

By the time he had finished, the small creature was asleep on his lap, purring quietly, he continued to stroke the soft fur as he thought about the bond between them. The book had said very little about it and what was written down was not much more than Hagrid had told him. And, as the pages were all written as observations of a Panivco pair, they had no way of knowing much about the bond. 

It meant that Severus was on his own to understand the bond. Without disturbing the cub, he settled into a meditative position, knowing that physical contact would make what he was about to do easier. He slowly sank into a meditative state, picturing his Occlumency shields. Slowly they formed as a picture; it took a few more minutes to complete the image. 

When he was done, Severus stood in the middle of a ten foot square surrounded by a ten foot high brick wall. Even though he could not see them, Severus knew that outside the brick wall there was a steel one, then another brick wall, and finally a wooden one. His bond with his cub was the same green as the cub’s eyes, and it seemed to come through the walls of his mind like they didn’t even exist, without disturbing them in any way. Severus frowned and checked his walls but they were fine and he had to admit that walls strong enough to keep Albus Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort out of his mind were no good against one small Panivco cub. He also really had to think of a name for his cub soon. 

Severus allowed himself to observe the bond. It was thin in places, so he spent a few minutes strengthening it from his side before returning to full wakefulness. He looked down and met green eyes, smiling at the small creature and feeling only contentment through the bond from his bonded. 

Severus chuckled, there had been rare moments when he had been younger when he had sought of his future and what would lead to happiness, it had always been about creating a bond to another person. Not the relationship he had seen between his mother and father but the loving, supporting relationship he had seen between Lily’s parents. This wasn’t quite the bond he had had in mind, but like his bonded, he not only felt content about the bond but even happy about it.

“I suppose I should think of a name for you,” he said and got an affirmative chirp, “How about Salazar?” Severus could not help but smile at the cub’s angry growl. It sounded so small and, dare he even think it, cute. 

“Not Salazar then, how about Peorth? It is from a rune meaning Fate and seeker of inner transformation. I always wanted a pet when I was younger, a Kneazle that I was going to call Peorth. I would be more than happy to share the name with you.” 

The cub purred and butted his head against Severus’s chest. 

“Peorth it is then, little one. Now would you please stand up so that I may measure you?” 

Curiosity came along their bond. Severus just smiled and motioned for the small cub to stand up. 

“Hagrid, the large man who helped heal you, wasn’t sure of your age except for the fact that you were somewhere between eight and thirty-five. According to the pages I copied, some simple measurements and not so simple sums should tell me how old you are.” 

Peorth almost seemed to shrug his shoulders and stood up, stretched his legs and wings, then waited patiently. Severus smiled and summoned a tape measure. It took a few minutes to get all the numbers and plug them into the formula he had found. Finally he had the results, the cub was at the lowest end of Hagrid’s estimate, and probably only only eight years old. 

“Eight! You should definitely still be with your mother.” 

The cub gave a cry of outrage and nudged the paper. 

“Not eight?” Severus asked. Peorth nodded, “Older?” The cub nodded, “Nine?” Negative feelings through the bond, “Ten?” Negative again, “Eleven?” he asked in disbelief, remembering the book had said that at ten cubs had a growth spurt, after which they normally bonded to their mentor. But he was getting positive feelings through their bond. 

Severus growled in anger and swept the cub against his chest, “Never again, no one will ever mistreat you ever again,” he vowed, his magic crackling around them in reaction to the realisation that the young cub was probably so small because of mistreatment and malnourishment. 

“I suppose I should feed you then, see if we can get you to the correct size for an eleven year old.” 

The small tummy rumbled as if the idea of food had reminded the cub that he was hungry. 

“According to the book, you eat fruits, vegetables and roots, which makes me wonder why you have those sharp teeth and claws.” 

Severus placed the cub on the sofa and stood to move across the room to find the bell he used to summon a house elf. He had barely taken a step when he was pounced on, claws just touching his leg as Peorth climbed up and sharp teeth closed on his wrist. 

Severus smiled at the cub, “I get the idea, they are for climbing and protecting yourself but as the food will not summon itself you will have to let go of me if you would like me to do it.”

The cub gave one last growl before letting go of Severus and returning to the floor. Severus rang the bell and ten minutes later Peorth was demolishing a very large bowl of fruit and the house-elves knew that whenever Severus ordered a meal, a similar bowl of fruit and roots was to accompany it. 

Severus left the cub eating and sat on the sofa with the latest Potion’s journal that he had picked in Diagon Alley that morning. It was just over a half hour until lunch when the cub finished eating and banged his head against Severus’s legs for attention.

“I am going to finish reading my journal,” Severus told the youngster, indicating the Potion’s journal in his hand, “Lunch is in half an hour and I have no doubt you will be hungry again so why don’t you explore our quarters. You can go anywhere but my lab. It is the only door that won’t open for you, please don’t try to get in as the wards will stop you. You can only enter with me,” Severus informed the small creature, believing that the small cub would understand everything he said.

The cub gave an affirmative chirp and bounded off towards his bedroom. Severus smiled as he felt contentment and happiness through the bond. He could get used to having a bonded friend, Severus thought as he returned to his journal. 

:::::: 

Harry watched the moving portraits in interest as he was carried through the school towards the hall for dinner. His human had explained that the Headmaster, his boss, demanded that all staff staying at school had to have dinner in the main hall to make sure everyone was still alive, and that Severus did not like it in the least. He had told Harry to stick close and stay away from the strange smelling woman he would soon meet. That was fine with Harry. He was perfectly happy to just sit in His human’s lap, basking mentally and physically in the man’s presence. 

He had been included in Severus’s wards after lunch and had spent the afternoon in the lab learning that His human was a Potion Master and what that meant. Severus had made ten potions that afternoon, most of them at the same time, all the while explaining to Harry why he was adding certain things at certain times and why they had to be stirred so many times in certain directions. 

Harry had actually found the entire thing very interesting and was learning to identify the ingredients by smell. He was learning magic without telling them all who he really was and he loved it. 

“As this is your first time to the Great Hall, we are entering through the main door, but normally we would just enter through the side door.” 

Harry nodded and looked at the big doors. They swung open as the pair approached and Severus carried him through. Harry thought his head would fall off as he tried to look everywhere at the same time, the ceiling was the most amazing thing he had ever seen and he made a chirp of curiosity. 

“The ceiling is charmed to look like the sky and the candles have spells on them to make them float. The tables are for the four houses: Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, and the one where all the people are is the staff table, where we will be sitting.” 

Harry looked at the table at the front of the hall where five people were sitting, then at the other four long tables. He now understood why it was called the Great Hall. 

“Not many people are here over the summer. I stay as it means I have my own private lab without all of the noisy brats here. Hagrid stays because he is the groundskeeper and someone has to keep an eye on the school. Madame Sprout, the smaller woman, is the Herbology teacher. She stays to look after her plants, only leaving for the odd weekend on holiday. But like me, she uses this time as research without the children around. The smelly one on the end is Professor Trelawney. She is the one to ignore and avoid as much as possible. She stays because she only leaves her tower for small periods of time and then normally only to predict someone's death. 

“You met Professor McGonagall earlier. She normally visits for two or three days three or four times through the summer. She is here at the moment to make sure all the letters got to the students. The final man is the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. He is here three days a week.” 

Harry looked at the tall man with a long white beard and hair, glasses and blue twinkling eyes that were watching them walk towards the table. So this was Albus Dumbledore, the man who had sent him the letter and then Hagrid for him. Harry snuggled further into Severus’s arms. While he was glad to see Hagrid and Professor McGonagall again, it was really the Headmaster he wanted to meet. 

He felt strangely and unexplainably scared about meeting the powerful wizard. What if the Headmaster could tell that he was really Harry and not Peorth and made him change back to his human form, and His human hated him? 

Misinterpreting the feelings through the bond, Severus murmured, “Don’t worry Peorth, you’re only scared because our bond is new. By the time school starts you’ll be fine in the presence of others. For now just stay in my arms while we meet the others and eat.” 

Harry nodded and snuggled his face into Severus’s robes, the smells more comforting to him than anything else. He could pick out the scents of the different ingredients His human had been using that afternoon to make his potions, it was the smell of home and safety. 

“Albus, Minerva, Pomona and Hagrid, I would like you to meet Peorth. Peorth, you know who everyone is.” 

“An unbonded Panivco cub, Severus? Where ever did you find him?” The headmaster asked. 

Severus sat down beside Albus and opposite Hagrid before answering, “I didn’t find him, he found me in the Leaky Cauldron this morning. He had been badly beaten so I brought him back to school.” 

“And you bonded?” 

Severus nodded and Harry felt one of those strong hands starting to massage his shoulders and wings. He purred under His human’s ministrations but still heard the Headmaster’s next question, “And are you happy with the bond Severus or do you wish to break it?” 

Harry looked up in surprise and worry. What if the Headmaster could break the bond between him and His Severus? He didn’t know if he could survive without Severus, without their bond, all on his own again. He met onyx eyes and His Severus smiled, “You Silly Creature. Of course I don’t want to break our bond. I already couldn’t imagine my life without you in my head so stop your absurd worrying.” 

Harry gave a contented purr and rubbed his head against Severus’s chest. 

“Well, you seem to be getting on wonderfully. I’m glad you have a companion in your dungeons. Now I think it is time to eat.” 

A few seconds later the food appeared on the table. Severus had meat pie, mashed potatoes, sweet corn and broccoli. Harry stared at Severus’s plate, his mind telling him that it would taste great. But it was the familiar bowl of fruit next to it that really made his mouth water. 

Harry rested his front paws on the table and started eating. He had no idea what most of the fruit was as he had never eaten any before except for the odd old orange or apple his aunt had deemed was acceptable for him. He could definitely get used to this: a man to protect him, food to eat whenever he wanted, and hopefully somewhere warm to sleep. 

He had explored Severus’s quarters and found a few corners he would not mind curling up in with a thick blanket. They were all one hundred percent better than a ratty blanket in his cupboard but the place he truly wanted to sleep was in the huge bed in His Severus’s arms. 

The conversation over dinner was about the wizarding world and what was going on. How the cost of cauldrons had gone up, how somewhere called Gladrags - which he guessed was a clothing store - was having a sale and a hundred and one other things that Harry did not care about. And from the boredom coming down the bond from Severus, neither did he. 

Finally they left the Great Hall after saying goodnight to the others and they had all patted him, leaving their scents on him. Harry spent the entire walk back to their quarters rubbing himself all over Severus, trying to make sure that His human’s scent was dominant scent, if not the only scent on him. 

“Calm down you silly creature or I’m going to drop you.” 

Harry stilled and whimpered in complaint. He could still smell Professor Trelawney on him where she had hugged him, almost pulling him from Severus’s arms. 

“When we get back to our quarters we are going to bathe. I have access to a rather large bath and you will be able to wash off whatever scent is annoying you.” 

Harry gave a contented purr. Removing her scent altogether was better than just trying to cover it with His human’s. He started watching the corridors again, wondering if he would ever learn his way around the school, it was so big. 

When they finally got back to the rooms that Harry now knew was his home, he was feeling tired but wanted his promised bath first. He guessed that if they were going to bathe together then Severus would want to bathe in warm water and Harry could not even remember washing with warm water. 

For as long as he could remember he had been made to wash in the back garden using the hose pipe. He could still remember being eight and asking his Aunt Petunia if he could take a warm shower. She had made him stand outside and had poured a kettle if boiling water over his legs. He knew now it must have been magic that had protected him from getting burnt too badly, he hadn’t understood at the time why she had been so angry when he hadn’t been really hurt.

They walked straight through the living room, bedroom and then through a door he hadn’t noticed when he had been exploring his new home. They stood in a large white and grey room that had a sink, a toilet, a shower and bath tub that must have filled two-thirds of the room. It was the biggest bath he had ever seen, even bigger than the one Uncle Vernon had had to buy so he get into it. 

Severus put him down on the edge of the huge bath next to a wall, it was quite wide and Harry found he could easily sit on it. 

“As you seem to actually have a brain in that furry head of yours, I’ll show you how it works. Pressing the green button will fill the bath within ten minutes to my favourite temperature. You can then test it and change the temperature with the red and blue buttons, red hotter and blue colder.” 

Harry gave a murmur of complaint, all he saw was three dark buttons on a white brick wall. 

“What is wrong now?” 

Harry pointed one paw at the buttons and gave a squeak of confusion, he couldn’t tell which was which. 

“It is simple Peorth, green: on, red: temperature up and blue...” Severus trailed off and was silent for a few seconds, “You can’t see colour,” he said like it explained everything. 

Harry nodded his head and thumped his head against Severus’ chest, expecting him to sort it out for him. 

“That we can fix,” Severus said and got out his wand. A few muttered spells later and all three buttons had symbols on them, “Now then, this one with the circle on it is the green one and will turn the water on. The red one has an arrow pointing up on it and the blue one has an arrow pointing down. Do you understand now?” 

Harry gave a chirp of happiness and leaned forward until he could press the button with the circle on it with his nose. Within seconds the sound of running water filled the room and Severus was leaning over him to pour some oil from a bottle into the bath. 

“Keep an eye on the water while I get undressed and put some music on.” 

Harry bobbed his head up and down and felt more than saw Severus leave the room. With a small jump and a glide he landed in the centre of the bath. The water was coming from sixteen holes all around the bath and it smelt like Severus did, only stronger. 

He was happily splashing around in the nearly full bath when Severus returned. Harry looked up and gave a chirp of greeting, glad His human was back in the room. The older man was wearing only a towel, allowing Harry to see that His human was tall, pale, very thin with a pale grey face on his arm. 

“It looks like you are having fun. I trust you will be able to bathe on your own when you wish in the future?” 

Harry kept out an affirmative chirp and moved into one corner so that Severus could get in. His human dropped his towel and climbed in as classical music echoed through their rooms. 

“Is it too hot or cold?” 

Harry gave a negative chirp. The temperature was fine. In fact, it was perfect, the best sensation he had ever felt, except, of course, for Severus’s strong hands when he stroked him. 

The pair spent the next hour splashing around in the water and washing carefully. Severus’s hands were firm as they washed his fur and wings and His human even allowed Harry to run his claws through his hair but the Potion Master had to do the rest on his own. 

“Play a little longer in the water while I get dressed. Then we’ll dry you off and sit in front of the fire to read for a while.” 

Harry nodded and waited for Severus to return. It was only a few minutes before a pyjama clad Severus returned and motioned for him to get out. Harry couldn’t help but purr in pleasure as his wings were dried with a towel and then his fur with the magical equivalent of a hairdryer, hot air coming from His human’s wand. 

The boy turned cub kept on purring as he was carried into the living room and they sat on the sofa, his head in Severus’ lap. 

”I was reading The Two Towers, a book by a man called Tolkein, the second in a trilogy. But as I think you would rather start at the beginning and I have read them all before, we are going to start with the prequel, ‘The Hobbit’.” 

Harry wriggled until he was as comfortable as he would get then nodded for Severus to start. 

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort…..” 

Harry sighed and let that deep voice take him to Middle Earth. 

:::::: 

Severus smiled as he idly stroked the soft fur. Contentment and happiness were coming from his bonded and he was actually happy, too. He had a pretty good idea of what would happen to his reputation if anyone came in now and saw him reading to an animal (using voices), even if said animal seemed to be very intelligent. People would never respect him again. 

He didn’t care though, he was enjoying sharing his love of Tolkien with Peorth and the cub seemed to be enjoying it, although to be honest Peorth seemed to enjoy everything they did together. It had been nice to have the cub around while he had been making his potions that afternoon and for the first time he had actually found himself enjoying teaching the potions. If the students were as attentive and interested as Peorth had been, then he might enjoy his job little more than he currently did. 

Severus shut the book at the end of the chapter, smiling at the cub’s sleepy complaint. “It is time to sleep you Silly Creature, so you need to decide where you want to sleep.” 

Peorth gave a chirp of understanding and got up. The small cub stretched and opened his wings wide, reminding Severus that he would have to see if the cub could or wanted to fly. He watched in amusement as the cub padded over to his bedroom door, pushed it open with his head and jumped on his bed. 

“You want to sleep on my bed?” Severus asked, moving to stand in his bedroom doorway. 

An affirmative chirp. 

“And where do I sleep?” 

Peorth moved to one side of the bed and pointed at the far side with a front paw, he nodded his head as if to say: ‘There’. 

“You want to share?” 

The small furry head bobbled up and down and he was given a look as if to say: ‘And where else would you sleep’. 

“Well then, you had better not snore.” 

Happiness thrummed through their bond as he pulled down the blankets and they both climbed into bed. Severus lay down and seconds later had two armfuls of warm, furry Panivco cub, a claw in an awkward spot on his groin and a wing in his face. 

“If you want to sleep in my arms that is fine but I insist you re-arrange yourself so that your paw and wing are somewhere else.” 

Peorth made an apologetic sound and they both moved until they had a comfortable position for both parties involved. Severus laying on his back with his bonded’s head on his shoulder and a wing stretched over his torso. He hadn’t expected the leather wings to be so soft or to feel so comforted with the wing covering him. 

“Goodnight Peorth.” 

All he got in response was a head butt to his chin and contentment through their bond which quickly faded to sleepy happiness. Severus sighed and made sure his mind was clear before letting himself fall asleep, glad he had picked that morning to get his supplies from Diagon Alley.


	3. Flight

Severus smiled as the small cub jumped off the highest cupboard in his lab for the fifth time that morning, glided to the other side of the room and for the fifth time hit the wall. Severus couldn’t feel any pain through the bond so he knew the cub wasn’t hurt but was instead having a fantastic time practising his gliding.

Severus added the last ingredient, stirred it seven and half times clockwise and smiled when it turned dark blue and the scent of lilies drifted up to his nose. It was a potion for the Hospital wing, one of many he made during the summer holidays. Unlike the previous couple of days Peorth hadn’t been watching his every move, but Severus had still found himself explaining each and every step to the small cub. Through the bond he could tell that Peorth still liked the explanations, liked understanding what was going on even if he wasn’t paying that much attention to the potion making.

A small chime indicated that lunch had arrived and even as he washed his hands and cast spells to make sure that the potion wouldn’t be damaged, he could feel Peorth getting impatient at the door to leave the lab. In the four days since he had got the small cub he had found that the cub had some of the strangest mannerisms: only eating when everyone was sat; always following one pace behind Severus when they walked; and disliking dark places when Panivcos were supposed to live in caves, were the most obvious.

Severus sat down to a delicious sunday lunch, it was one of his favourite meals that the House eleven made, it was only ever something he had had at Hogwarts. Looking down at Peorth as the cub demolished his bowl of fruit, Severus knew that his afternoon would be spent on the Quidditch pitch. Albus allowed him to stay at Hogwarts over the summer and use the lab for his experiments, which was a lot better than he could afford on a teacher’s wage. He still had the house in Spinner’s end but he disliked going back there if he didn’t have to.

The Headteachers only concession was that he spent at least two afternoons a week outside, not just shut himself up in the dungeons for two months. Normally he spent them sat by the lake reading but as Peorth seemed determined to bruise what brains he had by flying into walls, the Quidditch pitch would probably be a better option.

“Do you want to try flying outside?”

Peorth’s head came up so fast Severus was scared he would hurt himself, the cub launched himself at Severus, licking and head butting his face and chin. Severus smiled and waited until the cub had calmed down and was sat impatiently on his knee, “I take it you like that idea,” Severus teased.

He got another head butt for his trouble, “Finish eating and I’ll find my broom so I can fly with you then we’ll go.”

Peorth always ate his food fast but Severus could have sworn that Peorth apperated the food straight to his stomach, bypassing his mouth altogether. With his bowl empty, the cub sat back on his haunches and looked at Severus expectantly.

“You’ll still have to wait until I have finished my own food,” Severus said with a smile to the cub sat beside him, huge eyes just looked at him, begging him to hurry up. “You still have to wait but you can make yourself useful, you can search my bedroom cupboards for my broom.” He got an affirmative chirp as Peorth bounded off to their bedroom, he wondered if the cub even knew what a broom was.

Severus was just finishing his desert, apple crumble and custard, when Peorth returned, his teeth no doubt leaving marks on his broom handle as he dragged the broom behind him. He chuckled at the sight, “Well done, pass it here and we can go to the Quidditch pitch.”

An inquisitive squeak.

“Quidditch?”

Severus got an affirmative squeak as he started to lead the way out of the school.

“It is a game witches and wizards play on brooms, there are seven members on each team and two teams play at a time. You have two beaters, one keeper, one seeker and three chasers, then you have four balls: a quaffle, the chasers pass this and throw it through hoops to score points; two bludgers that attack the players automatically, the beaters protect the rest of the team from them; and the Golden snitch, catching this is the job of the seeker and it is him catching the snitch that ends the game.”

It was warm outside but Severus was still glad he had grabbed a thicker robe as they had been leaving their rooms. It would be colder in the air once they started moving, the movement of them through the air carrying away any body heat they would create.

Severus stood beside the cub and patted his head, “Well go on then but stay low, I’ll keep my wand on you and when I think you are confident enough then you can go higher. We can come out again tomorrow and fly together if I think you are ready for it.”

Peorth shrugged his shoulders and nodded, he started running then spread his wings and flapped, he got about two foot off the ground before crash landing. It took the cub another twenty minutes of trying before he managed to take off and stay in the air for any decent length of time.

Severus smiled as Peorth finally managed to take off, fly around and land, his landing may have been a bit more crash than landing but it had got him back on the ground. He could feel the cub getting tired as he took off for his third perfect flight and decided that it would have be the last one of the day, he didn’t want Peorth to get injured due to tiredness.

As if Peorth knew what he was thinking, the cub ended his flight with a glide into Severus’ arms and a head butt to the chin. “Enough?”

An affirmative chirp.

“Come on then lets go back inside and get a drink.”

Another affirmative chirp.

“Come on then you can fly again tomorrow.”

Contentment flooded through the bond as Severus walked back into the school, deciding they would read a bit more back in the rooms to let the little one recover a bit.

::::::

Albus sat in his office trying to get the last of his paperwork finished so that he could go head home, it had been a long week of making sure that they were ready for the next term. The only positive points of the week being that Nicholas’ stone was safely in the school and that Harry Potter was coming in September. A shout from outside reminded him of the other good news Severus; little friend.

He abandoned his work to look out of the window towards the Quidditch pitch. It had been a over a week, nearly two since he had first seen the cub on his first attempts on flight and they had been out every day since for at least an hour to keep practising. He smiled and tapped his glass so that he could see them a bit easier, zooming in on the action as Peorth caught the quaffle and catching the happiness on Severu’s face as he chased the cub.

He had no idea when they had added the balls but he thought they might also have a snitch out on the pitch, although neither seemed particularly interested in catching the small golden ball and ending the game.

The first time he had seen them had been a surprise, he tried to be at school on a Sunday so that he could make sure Severus left his dungeons and they could share an evening meal. He had been just about to go down to the dungeons when his clock had informed him that Severus was outside. Albus had been even more surprised when he had checked and found Severus not in his usual place by the lake but instead on the Quidditch pitch.

He smiled as he thought of Peorth’s first flights shakily around the pitch while Severus held his wand on the small cub like an over protective parent. He had always known that Severus would make a good parent and he supposed this would probably be his only chance to show that talent. He was glad to see that something other than his potion’s was giving Severus a reason to carry on.

Albus was drawn back to theme with a gasp of horror as Peorth started plummeting head first towards the ground, his wings pulled tight against his back. He couldn’t see if anything had hit the cub and was to far away, even with his abilities, to cast any spells to help. Just meters from the ground Peorth spread his wings and glided along the ground, his feet only centimetres from the ground, something gold in his mouth.

The Headmaster couldn’t help but smile when he realised that the cub had caught the snitch after a flawless Wronski dive. Albus smiled even more when he saw his Potion’s Master grab Peorth in a possessive grip and started yelling at him, Albus had no doubt the cub was being told off for scaring Severus.

It had been years since anyone had made it through the armour that Severus had built around his heart and he had started to worry that no-one ever would . He was especially glad it was the cub and not a human because unlike a human this cub would never betray Severus.

Albus turned away from the happy picture, determined to finish his work so he could go home and relax, he might even pop in and see Aberforth on the way home. They could just about manage a civil conversation and his brother was the only blood relative he had left.

::::::

Severus held the cub close even as the small body was straining to get away, “I’m sorry for yelling at you Peorth, I was just worried,” Severus explained deciding that yelling at an abused animal had probably been a bad idea.

The cub stopped trying to escape and chirped at him in confusion.

“Yes I was worried about you.”

His response was an inquisitive chirp.

“Because you are my cub, my little friend and I would be very, very upset if you were hurt.”

Peorth snuggled into Severus chest and he could feel the cub mirror back his feelings of care and worry along the bond.

“Nothing to worry about Peorth, everything is ok Peorth, we’ll be okay. Now should we return inside so we can finish our potion?”

A positive chirp was his reply, so they collected up their equipment and returned to their rooms. Severus could no longer imagine his life without Peorth and while it was different to fly every afternoon, he knew he would miss it if they stopped doing it.


	4. The arrival of September 1st

Severus watched from the head table as the students entered the Great Hall in small noisy and chaotic groups. They had been together on a train for 7 hours, what in Merlin’s name did they still have to talk about and why did it have to be so loud.

He kept an eye out for trouble makers, making sure that the Weasley twins were looking at him when he gave them the specially formed glare just for the pair of them. It annoyed him that they were probably the best potion makers in their year, if not also the year above but the only potions they were innovating were prank ones.

Neither boy was bothered with his glare, instead grinning at him and giving him a small synchronised nod in greeting. He knew he probably wouldn’t see them that night but was sure they would be down the following night.

It had been after explosion number 4 in the common room during their first first year that they had stayed after the lesson to ask if they could use the student lab twice a week to work on personal projects even though it was normally only available to NEWT students.

He had agreed with the understanding that they had to keep a grade of EE in their potion’s class and that they couldn’t prank him. It had made the Gryffindor common safer for everyone and that they were working under the wards to try and protect the students.

A burst of pleasure along the bond he shared with Peorth almost made him smile but years of controlling his emotions stopped the motion before it was more than a twitch of his lips. The cub still liked to be in the same room as him but they could spend time in separate rooms now and he no longer needed Severus in sight. Which was why the cub was off exploring all of the new people.

While Peorth still had a problem being around just the teachers so far he seemed to enjoy having so many students around him. Severus could only guess it it might be that the students were closer in age to Peorth, even if they weren’t other panic cubs.

Although Peorth was having a good time, Severus was already bored and felt ridiculously relieved when Minerva eventually led the first years in. He wondered where Quirell was but didn’t really care that much and just concentrated on how many new snakes he would have to worry about. Most of them were a foregone conclusion: Malfoy and goons, Parkinson’s spawn, probably even Zabini if the rumours about the boy’s mother were true. If they ended up in any of the other houses he would be shocked but occasionally the Hat surprised him.

The sorting was going as he had expected no unexpected sorting and no Hat stalls, it had barely even hit Malfoy Junior’s hat before it had shouted out Slytherin. Finally Minerva called out the one name he had been dreading, “Harry Potter,” but no child stepped up. All the first years looked around expectedly as if another one fo them was about to appear from under a table.

Minerva called the dreaded name again but still no-one came forward. The upper years all looked at the remaining first years ago, he knew that none of them had ever witnessed the deputy head call a name but no-one respond. As one the student body seemed to turn and look at the teacher’s table, at the Headmaster in particular who seemed to be focused on Minerva.

Albus gave a small shake of his head and you could almost see the deputy head slump slightly before pulling her self back together and carrying on with the list. The whispers between the students started almost immediately, Severus couldn’t hear what they were saying but he had no doubt that it would be about the fact that the boy-who-lived was not at school.

Severus looked over at Albus to see if he could gleam a little bit more information and frowned when the Headmaster caught his eye. The potions Master had no doubt that he would be the one going to find the precious boy-who-lived. The brat was probably sat at home being served on hand and foot, thinking he was too high and mighty to travel on the train like the rest of the students.

The Headmaster stood up and gave his normal welcome speech then the yearly notices, the normal stuff like staying out of the forest, it was forbidden, hence the name but it was his final notice that caught Severus’ attention, “As many of you may have noticed, Professor Quirell is not with us tonight. I got a letter from St.Mungo’s saying he had been in an accident and would not be able to return this term. Until I can find a replacement, I will be teaching DADA. Well I think that is all, let’s eat.”

The food had just appeared when a scream from the Gryffindor table interrupted the normal running of the feast. Severus looked over at the red and gold table, smirking when he saw Peorth stood on the table being protected by the Weasley twins from their older brother Percy.

“I knew that there was something I had not mentioned to you, the cub with the Weasley twins is Peorth, he is a Panivco cub that Professor Snape has bonded with over the summer. Please respect him as you would any other member of staff, he is very friendly and I am sure in the coming weeks you will all get a chance to meet him. Now Peorth as we are trying to eat why don’t you return to Professor Snape’s side so you can eat too. I am sure you will see the twins again soon.”

Severus smiled at the positive chirp and opened his arms so that he could catch the flying cub. He ignored the students as he greeted the cub and was covered by Peorth’s scent, the small cub was even more possessive after they had been apart. He settled Peorth on his knee and put the cub’s food where he could reach it, Peorth ate like he normally did, like he had never been fed before.

Looking up at the stunned looking students Severus knew that teaching would be fun. But looking down at Peorth he knew he wouldn’t change it for the world.

::::::

Severus made his way up to Albus’ office, after the welcoming feast he had welcomed the Slytherins, old and new, made sure they all knew to stick together and had returned to his rooms to find the summons from Albus. It hadn’t really been a surprise but he would have liked if Albus could have found someone else to go and get the Potter boy.

Peorth was behind him, chirping happily to Severus about something, the wizard wasn’t sure what the cub was going on about but he was happy so Severus didn’t really care, as long as he was happy.

A muttered, “Twizzle stixs” moved the gargoyle and they rode up to the Headmaster’s office together. It was the first time Peorth had been to Albus’ office and he could feel how excited the cub was.

“Ah Severus, Peorth I’m glad you are here, Peorth why don’t you introduce yourself to Fawkes while I talk to Severus.”

Peorth padded over to the perch and Severus smiled as he pair started to chirp at each other, obviously speaking a common language of some sort.

“Now Severus as you have probably guessed, I need you to go to Four Privet Drive. a street along from Arabella Figg’s home, and check on Harry Potter. I have checked with Gerty, the food trolley lady and George, the conductor but neither of them saw him on the train or on the station. I think we can therefore assume that he did not get on the train or even make it to the station.

“The last sighting of him was from Hagrid when he dropped the boy off after taking him to Diagon Alley for his supplies. Severus it is very important that we find him, he needs to attend Hogwarts.”

Severus sighed, he didn’t want to go but knew he wouldn’t get out of it, “I will leave immediately Albus, may Peorth stay here with you?”

“Of course, it looks like he had a new friend,” Albus commented, his sparkle brightened as he motioned to where Fawkes was sat next to Peorth on the floor, chirping at each other. All Severus could feel through the bond was happiness, he was glad that Peorth had another friend, one he couldn’t communicate with a little easier.

“Yes it does,” he said and called to the cub, “Peorth.” He smiled when the emerald eyes met his, “I need to go and look for a student, I’ll be back as quick as I can, will you be all right with the Headmaster and Fawkes?”

He felt the anxiety and fear over the bond but Peorth gave an affirmative chirp.

“It’ll be okay Peorth, I’ll be back soon.”’

Peorth gave another affirmative chirp and bounded onto Severus’ knee, licked his chin before bounding back to Fawke’s side. Severus relaxed slightly as Peorth’s anxiety lowered slightly when the Pheonix nuzzled again the cub’s head.

Severus nodded to the headmaster and quickly made his way towards the edge of the school wards so that he could apperate. Stood at the edge of the wards he used a spell to change his outer robe into a long black coat and decided he looked muggle enough for a short visit. He could feel the level of anxiety from Peorth rise slightly the further away he got so it was with a deep breath that he apperated away to Privet Drive.

He had only been there once before, he hadn’t know it was where the Potter Brat lived, he had been sent to check on Arabella Figg when she had demanded potions for one of her cats. He had been unsure why the headmaster had given in to her demand but if she was in their to keep an eye on the Potter brat then it made slightly more sense. Not that it made a whole lot of sense, why did he have a near squib watching the boy who lived?

Seconds after he arrived in the muggle neighbourhood he realised that there was something wrong, it took him a few seconds longer to realise it was the fact that he couldn’t feel Peorth, they were too far apart. It was an unnerving feeling that he did not like in the least, he wasn’t alone he could still feel the bond but it was unbearably thin and he could feel nothing from his cub. This unbearable feeling of loneliness was not going to make this confrontation with Potter and his guardiansany easier.

Number Four Privet Drive looked like every other house in street, a polished car on the drive, perfect garden and a woman twitching at the curtain, looking out, probably at him. He knocked on the door and waited patiently for someone to answer it, when they did it was a tall, thin horse like woman who was very familiar. He had known Potter had been left with family but he had assumed, had hoped it had been anyone other than Lily’s sister. Albus has assured him that Potter had been loved, that he was being looked after.

“Can I help you?” She asked politely, a small sneer on her face, either she didn’t recognise him or was pretending not to.

“Are you Petunia Dursley?” He asked, if she was gong to play that way then he would play the game.

“Yes,” she answered with a smile.

“I am here to enquire about the location of your nephew? Harry Potter?”

Severus was shocked when she suddenly let out a screech of what sounded like, “Vernon,” the husband if he wasn’t mistaken.

The entire house seemed to move as a large man appeared at the door, he was quiet possibly the largest person Severus had ever seen that wasn’t part giant. “What is it Petunia?”

“He’s one of them, he’s asking about the boy.”

The man’s face went purple in the blink of an eye, “Get off my property, the boy isn’t here, he went off with that Giant freak and never came back, if you ask me that freak did something to the boy.”

“Did you contact the police?” Severus asked, trying to stay clam, unable to believe that they had sent their nephew off with someone they didn’t know and hadn’t worried when the boy hadn’t come back.

“Why we were glad the boy was gone.”

Severus stared at the man and realised that he was not going to find Harry Potter here. He also wondered if he had been so right about Potter’s home life, the boy had been missing for a month and they had done nothing. “Where are his belongings?”

“We burnt them after he left, ungrateful brat, we put a roof over his head, give him food and never get any thanks, we even risked infecting our Dudley with his freakishness. He was a freak just like you.”

Severus glared at the overweight man, he knew he should be more angry but the feeling of loneliness was overriding everything. He had done as he had been asked, he had gone to the house and checked, Potter wasn’t there and now all he wanted was to be back with Peorth. He couldn’t be bothered to argue with the man, instead turned on his heal and walked around the corner so he could cast a spell on the house. They had been telling the truth, there was 3 people in the house and not one of them was a wizard.

He apparated, reappearing at the edge of the wards and immediately felt the bond between him and Peorth sprang back into life, anxiety and fear were the only emotions he could feel. His trip back to Albus’ office was as quick as possible, walking as fast as he could without running in the halls. The second he entered the room he felt the familiar small, winged body hit his own, claws digging into the jacket as he started licking Severus’ face. Severus ran his hands over the furry body, trying to calm not only Peorth but himself. Their bond had not been ready for such a distance between them.

Severus sank into a seat and frowned when Peorth jumped off his knee only to stand between his legs to try and get under his jacket. It took a minute for him to realise that Peorth wanted to be in the coat, in his waistcoat, he opened the coat and enlarged his waistcoat so that the cub could lay on his chest, licking at Severus’ neck.

The Potion’s Master looked up at the Headmaster who was smiling at them, that damn sparkle in his eyes. “What happened at the Dursley’s?”

“He wasn’t there and they claim he hasn’t been there since Hagrid picked him up for the trip to get his supplies, that he never returned.”

::::::

Laying on his human’s chest, Harry knew he should feel bad for not telling them where he was but he was too scared that his human would hate him. He couldn’t bear the thought of never having Severus with him, it had been horrible while he was gone.

“Hagrid said he walked Harry to the house, even saw him go in.” Yes he did, Harry thought but he didn’t see Vernon beat him so badly he broke bones.

“Well he isn’t in the house and I don’t think they even know where he is. We could question them under a truth serum but I doubt they will tell us anything else.”

The Headmaster nodded, “I trust your judgement Severus, I will try a searching spell and hope that will do the trick.”

Please don’t let him find me, Harry wished as hard as he could, burying face in Severus’ neck as he felt a jolt of something go through him. The jolt was similar to the one had felt when he had turned into his animal form, it was a strange feeling but one he liked.

“How is Peorth?” The Headmaster asked His human.

“Feeling better, how was he when I was gone?” Severus asked, Harry could feel worry and love across their bond.

“He was fine for the first fifteen minutes or so, chattering away at Fawkes.” If Harry could have blushed he would have, he had spent the first few minutes asking about Fawkes and Hogwarts then ten minutes telling the bird how wonderful his Human was. He had got the distinct feeling that Fawkes had been indulging him like a parent would a small child but didn’t mind that much. “Then suddenly he froze and was crying out, Severus I have never heard a sound so painful, if I had known I would have sent someone else. Not even Fawkes’ most powerful song could calm him.” It had been the scariest the feeling in the world, even more scary than the thought of being nailed in his cupboard for weeks, suddenly Severus hadn’t been there, he had been alone again and he had had no idea when Severus would be back. “He continued making those sounds until a few minutes before your return then sat and stared at the door until you came in.”

Severus sighed and stroked Harry’s neck and head, he was comfortable inside Severus’ waist coat with his wings pulled tight to his back, he had worked out that if he wanted he could make them slightly smaller more manageable then return them to their real size for flying.

“I guessed so much from his response, our bond is still to fragile and he is still too young to be on his own. I also suspect it was the sudden distance when I apperated.”

“I guessed as much, why don’t the pair of you return to the dungeons, I am sure some time together will make Peorth feel better.”

“Thank you Albus, we’ll see you at breakfast.”

Harry just snuggled deeper as Severus stood up, smiling as the strong arms of his Human held him in place. He heard a a good-bye from Fawkes and replied in turn, promising to come back and visit the brightly coloured and friendly bird again, he had enjoyed having someone to actually talk to.

The walk to the dungeon was quiet, strong fingers held him in place and love and safety flowed steadily over the bond. Once they were safely back in their rooms, Severus opened his waistcoat as he sat down and started rubbing Harry all over. Harry arched and purred as he stroked, he was glad Severus was back and hoped that the Headmaster never found him.

::::::

Severus smirked at the purring cub, he reacted so well to touch and he found himself constantly checking the bond for Peorth’s presence, it had been hard enough for him to go without the bond with all his training, he couldn’t imagine how bad Peorth would have felt.

“Do feel like taking a bath together?” He asked, feeling that both of them needed some quality time together.

He got an affirmative chirp from his bond mate and watched as the small cub bounded into the bathroom, a few seconds later he could hear water as the bath started to fill. Severus smiled and undressed in bedroom, before walking into the bathroom wrapped in a towel. Peorth was already in the slowly filling bath, splashing around like a small child.

He drizzled some relaxing and calming oils into the filling bath, it had taken a few attempts to get the cub used to the unusual smells but now Peorth adored the different scents.

“I’m sorry for leaving alone Peorth,” Severus said as he sat on the edge of the bath and dangled one hand in the water, checking that Peorth hadn’t changed the temperature too drastically as he had done in the past few weeks, almost like he was exploring to the find the perfect temperature.

The Cub nuzzled his hand and he felt nothing but affection and relief through their bond, the young cub hadn’t taken offence at his trip. But he wasn’t going to be leaving Hogwarts without Peorth again anywhere in the near future.

One hand scratching Peorth behind one ear while he waited for the bath to fill he wondered about Quirell, wondered what sort of accident the stuttering fool had had that had meant that he had ended up having to stay long term in St.Mungos. He would question the headmaster more in the morning but until then his main focus was relaxing and spending time with Peorth before he had to deal with the students again.

::::::

A picture of Peorth that a wonderful fan made for me last time, Shelik aka Lee

[ ](https://ibb.co/xLbXgGR)


	5. Slytherins and Gryffindors

Harry ran around the classroom in excitement waiting for the next class to show up. It wasn’t the first class that he had been in but it was the first with the first year Gryffindors and Slytherins. Hagrid had told him he probably would have been in Gryffindor like his parents had been so this was his first chance to meet his potential year mates. Plus Draco, the blonde Slytherin from the night before would be there.

“Peorth settle down,” Severus said as he was scooped up into those strong arms. They shifted him around until Harry could lay comfortably in his Human’s arms without his wings or limbs in an uncomfortable position.

He lay contentedly in Severus’ arms as the students filed in, some with lions on their robes (Gryffindors) and some with snakes on their robes (Slytherins). He thought it was amusing that the Slytherins were on one sideand the Gryffindor’s were all on the other side of the room.

“You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," Severus began. ”I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses ... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death -- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.” Severus pausedand looked around the room to ensure everyone was looking at them before carrying on, “This is Peorth and you will respect him or I will be using parts of you in potions that I am sure you would rather still have attached to your body.”

Harry purred in contentment as the strong fingers massaged into his neck and sent his feelings of amusement to his bonded at the horror and fear on the students’ faces.

“Mr Weasley where would I find a Beozar?”

Harry swung his head to look at a Gryffindor redhead whose mouth was so far open that he looked like a fish, a blank look in his eyes. He realised that the other boy had no idea where you would find a Beozar, if he even knew what it was. Peorth concentrated as hard as he could on their bond to send a picture of a goat with its stomach highlighted; it was a skill he had only recently discovered and he liked being able to communicate more than emotions with his human.

Peorth felt pleasure and a proudness coming from Severus, obviously his human liked that he knew the answer, but he wasn’t the only one. There was a bushy haired Gryffindor waving her hand in the air like she was trying to get Severus’ attention. Peorth knew it would do no good, Severus wanted the redhead to answer.

“I don’t know.”

“I am less surprised by that answer than if you had actually known that you can find a beozar in the stomach of a goat and that it will save you from poisons Mr Weasley. Try again, What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?”

Again the redhead looked blank, Harry tried to decide what his human could make with asphodel and wormwood, trying to remember their properties and how they would react with each other. Then it came to him and he sent a picture of Severus sat in his chair sleeping with some comical “Zzzzzzzs” coming from his mouth.

Harry felt his human bite back a chuckle, while still managing to glare at the first year Gryffindor.

“I don’t know.” It sounded even more pathetic the second time that the red head said it.

“Yet again another unsurprising answer. Mr Malfoy do you know the answer?” Severus asked the blond, once again ignoring the bushy haired Gryffindor who looked like she was about to levitate out of her seat in her attempts to get her arm higher.

“A sleeping draught professor, the draught of the living death,” The blond Slytherin answered promptly with a smug smile aimed at the Gryffindor side of the room. Harry looked over as the blonde Slytherin answered the question, he knew the boy was called Draco and that his bonded had a special relationship with him. When they had visited the Slytherin Common room the previous evening, he had met the blonde and knew there was something about the blonde that made him want to get to know the other boy.

“Well done Mr Malfoy, 5 points to Slytherin, one last chance Mr Weasley, what is the difference between monkswood and wolfsbane?”

Harry knew this one straight away and sent an image of the plant he had seen in many different forms. He got a positive answer from his bonded and relaxed into the soothing motion of Severus’ hands.

“And once again Mr Weasley you have proved your incompetence. Can you answer the question Mr Malfoy?”

“They are both the same thing, Aconite.”

“Another 5 points to Slytherin, well why aren’t you writing this down?” Severus roared and Harry watched as the class started scribbling notes down. Severus lectured for quarter of an hour, telling the class about what they would be doing, “Get your cauldrons out, you will work alone and make the potion on page 223.”

The class started making the potion, Severus stalked around the classroom carrying him around. Harry tolerated it for one circuit of the dungeon room then wriggled until his bonded placed him on the floor. “Remember not to eat anything and be careful where you put those wings.”

Harry gave his bonded ‘Do you think I’m stupid’ blast through their bond and bounded off, he knew better than to eat potion ingredients, he had learnt that lesson the hard way. He moved around the classroom, sniffing the students and potions, trying to work out what they were making before giving up and jumping on the seat next to a bushy haired Gryffindor. She had her book open and jumped slightly when he leaned over to read what the potion was and how to make it.

“Professor your Panivco cub is on my desk,” she said timidly.

“He will not do anything to damage you or your desk Ms Granger,” his bonded replied in a snide tone, “He is merely curious about the Potion.”

“Okay professor,” she replied but sounded slightly nervous.

Harry continued to read the page until he was sure he understood what the class was doing and then jumped down and carried on around the classroom, trying to determine what stage everyone was at. He paused at a Gryffindor who was practically shaking, Harry could smell the fear coming off the boy. He watched as the boy lifted some pine needles from his pile of potion ingredients. Harry only just managed to grab the boy’s wrist before he added them. If he had added the pine needles while the heat was still on it would explode and they would both be in pain.

He felt the boy’s fear jump rapidly but he guessed the boy was too scared of Severus to bother his professor. Harry pulled the boys hand to his Potion’s text book and motioned to where the heat needed to be turned off first. “Thanks,” the boy said and Harry decided to stay next to the boy to make sure he didn’t have any other ‘accidents’.

::::::

Severus knew that Peorth was helping the Longbottom boy to complete his potion but he didn’t mind as it was keeping the entire class safe from the Gryffindor. The boy was already scared enough, Severus could see his shaking getting worse as Severus approached his desk so at least Peorth meant that there should not be a disaster in the first lesson.

He didn’t like the fact that Longbottom was so scared of him that he was shaking but there was little he could do directly with the boy without making it worse. For future lessons he would spend some time going through the potion with Peorth before the lesson then his bonded would be able help Longbottom and hopefully Severus wouldn’t loose too many cauldrons to the scared Gryffindor.

At the end of the lesson everyone had managed to create a potion, they were of varying quality and annoyingly the bushy haired Gryffindor had made the best potion, managing to outshine Draco even if it was only by the smallest amount. The students all trailed out, Longbottom and Draco giving Peorth a wave, which made the small cub almost glow in happiness.

Once the students had left, Severus scooped the cup back into his arms, glad when all he got through the bond was happiness. Severus smiled at him, “I’m glad you enjoyed helping Longbottom, from now on I will go through the potion with you first and then you can partner him for the lesson.”

He got a yelp that Severus knew was positive and the distinct feeling that Peorth liked the Longbottom boy.

“Well we have dinner now and then a visit to the Slytherin Common room to see how the first years coped with their first day.”

Peorth sent him a picture of Draco and a query.

“He will be there.”

Severus hoped that Peorth and Draco got on well, they had only interacted once but as Draco hadn’t tried to hurt Peorth, he was very hopeful.

::::::

Severus walked through his own entrance to the Slytherin common room, Peorth following behind him and was pleased that he hadn’t walked in on any fights. While his snakes always stuck together outside the common room, inside was often a different story, there was constant power shifts, between families and years, especially at the start of the year when older members left and new ones started.

It was Draco who noticed them first, the small blonde came over to them and stuck his hand out to be shook, his best Malfoy mask on. He knew it was essential in Slytherin to hide your emotions but he would miss his smiling godson.

“You can still hug me Draco, I may now be your professor but you will always be my godson.”

Draco gave him a smile and quick hug before stepping back and pulling his Malfoy mask back down, although it wasn’t quite as firm as before and Severus saw his godson smile as Peorth greeted him like an old friend. The cub was stood on his hind legs with his forelegs on Draco’s shoulders and was nuzzling the boy’s face.

Draco actually giggled and wrapped his arms around the cub’s neck, Severus watched the pair affectionately. He could feel Peorth’s pleasure at being this close to Draco and the blonde’s pleasure was obvious on his face.

Severus sent Peorth an image of staying with Draco while he spoke with the rest of his Slytherins, trying to ensure that he knew about any problems before they became serious. Maybe he could even leave Peorth here while he went and saw Quirrell’s body, he had been unimpressed at lunch time to be pulled to one side to be informed that Quirrell’s accident had in fact been fatal and he had died. Albus had told him the location of the body at lunch time and asked Severus to have a look at it to see if he recognised the spells that might have been used.

::::::

Harry kept an eye on his human as he sat with Draco, the young boy smelt nice, not nice like Severus smelt nice but still nice, a nice that caused a funny feeling in his stomach. He was sat beside Draco while the other boy did his transfiguration homework. He remembered that Professor McGonagoll, the head of Gryffindor, taught transfiguration, she had always been nice to “Peorth”.

Apparently they had been changing a wood match to a metal needle, Draco was explaining what they had done and what their homework was, how you changed the shape of an item. He enjoyed listening to Draco tell him about transfiguration, just like he liked listening to Severus tell him about Potions, not only because they smelt and sounded good but because it meant he was learning about magic.

Harry looked over at Severus and grinned, he could feel how proud Severus was about his Slytherins. He wondered if Severus would have liked him as a boy if he had been in Slytherin but then again Hagrid had said that he would be in Gryffindor like his parents had been. So if he was a boy, he would be in the house Severus disliked the most, it would just be another reason for Severus not to like him.

He lifted his head from where he was reading Draco’s neat writing as Severus walked over and stood beside them, smiling in a way that didn’t show in his body but Harry could feel through their bond.

“I need to go and see the Headmaster, will you be all right to stay here with Draco?”

Harry could feel that Severus had to do go and see something he didn’t want Harry to see but it wasn’t because he no longer wanted Peorth, it was because he didn’t want to upset Peorth. He gave a positive chirp and nuzzled Severus’ hand briefly before going back to reading Draco’s essay.

“Good, I shouldn’t be too long, just stay close to Draco.”

Harry nodded and looked up as he felt Severus moving away, he knew that Severus wouldn’t leave the school without him so didn’t try to pull Severus back, he wouldn’t be alone this time.

::::::

Severus made his way back to the Slytherin common room to get Peorth, all the while wondering what sort of accident Quirell had managed to have in a locked room on his own that had melted away the back of his head. He had potions in his collection that could melt away someone’s skull but he hadn’t been able to detect any of them on Quirell’s body. He locked the memories of the body behind his shields, he had learnt that while he couldn’t shield Peorth from his mind, he could hide certain memories from his bonded. Memories that he wouldn’t let the young cub see, images that would haunt the youngster.

“Python,” he said to the common room door and strode through, using his bond to track Peorth and Draco to the Blonde’s bed, doing Potion’s homework by the sound of it. “Hello you two.”

Peorth bounded up and flung himself at Severus, nuzzling at his neck and face, letting him know that he had been missed. Severus smiled into the black fur and ran his hands over the furred sides, calming his bonded. The cub finally settled, sitting contentedly in his arms, a steady stream of happy thoughts about Draco, magic and Severus coming across their bond.

“Say goodnight to Draco.”

Peorth leaned over and licked Draco’s forehead then settled back into Severus, his wet nose resting against Severus’ neck.

“Goodnight Draco, we will see you in the morning.”

“Night Uncle Severus, Peorth,” Draco said, he looked sad, Severus guessed it was because Peorth was leaving rather than him.

“I am sure that Peorth will come and eat Breakfast with you, just ask for a bowl of fruit for him when you order your own breakfast.”

Draco gave him a grin and reached up to stroke Peorth’s back before they left. Peorth was content to sit his arms, he could feel how tired his cub was, it had been a long and exciting day for the youngster. Back in his room, he placed the dozing cub in his bed and sat at his desk to finish lesson plans for the following day.

Hours later laying in bed covered by his still sleeping cub, Severus smiled, it had been a good first day, even if the location of Harry Potter was still worrying the staff.


	6. Hermione saves the day

Severus sat at his desk trying to mark the first year essays, he was finding it very difficult because Peorth would not settle down. His cub was restless, Peorth wanted to go out and fly, he wanted to run but most of all Peorth wanted to play with him.

Severus wanted Peorth to run and fly, to use some of his extra energy and as much as Severus wanted to take him out the potion’s professor couldn’t he had too much work to do. He had to finish marking the first year essays, then the fifth year ones and finally start some of the potions for the hospital wing that took days rather than hours.

He grabbed Peorth by the scruff of the neck on his cub’s next pass and pulled him onto his knee, holding the small wriggling body until Peorth settled down. “I know you want to go out and fly but I have things that I have to do so what I am going to do is charm both my door and the door to the Slytherin common room so that you can open them. I trust you will be able to explore on your own and return to me when I call you.”

He got an affirmative and excited yelp in reply then a small tongue licking his face in thanks. Severus smiled and stroked the soft fur, letting Peorth know over the bond that he loved Peorth too. Because he did, for the first time since his mother’s death, he loved someone, even if it was only a Panivco cub.

He carried Peorth out to the door and placed him on the ground at his feet so he could manipulate his wards until it was simple for his cub to enter, “Peorth listen carefully, the door will now open when you press this button and then this one. Try it now.”

Peorth obediently pressed the circle in the corner of the frame with his nose and then red house in the left corner. The door swung open and Peorth grinned at him, before bounding off towards the Slytherin common room. Severus grinned internally before following at a more relaxed pace, more suitable for the head of Slytherin.

::::::

Harry walked along the corridor trying to find the library so he could get a book about basic charms, Severus only had books on advanced charms. He had been exploring for about half an hour and had found all sorts of fun rooms. After Severus had charmed the Slytherin common room door he had visited Draco for a while, sitting with the blonde while he did Herbology but then Draco had decided to take a bath so Harry had decided to explore the school.

He liked taking baths but didn’t think Draco would want to bathe with him, he knew that Draco smelt nice but so did Neville, not to the same extent as Draco but still nice. They smelt good like Severus did but no where near as strong, he wondered if he would form some sort of bond with them like he did with Severus just not as strong.

“Well if it isn’t the Greasy git’s little pet,” a voice said from behind him, Harry turned and recognised the first year Gryffindor that hadn’t known the answers to any of Severus’ questions.

The boy was with two other first year Gryffindors and all of them were looking at him like he was to blame for whatever was wrong in their world. He could feel himself getting more and more scared and suddenly it wasn’t the boy any more, it was his uncle and he was towering over Harry with the belt.

Harry did little more than whimper and try to curl up and protect himself as the three boys started kicking him, trying to hurt him. A swing from on of his wings easily could have knocked the boys over and he had very sharp claws but fear had taken over. He didn’t even realise it had stopped until there was soft hands on his head and a female voice was telling him that it was okay and the horrible boys had gone,

Harry managed to uncurl enough to look up and recognise the Gryffindor know it all but he supposed she was all right if she had stopped the boys from hurting him.

But Harry couldn’t stop shaking and whimpering, where was Severus? Where was his human? The girl was nice but he wanted his human. His human would look after him, would stop the pain and shaking.

And then suddenly he was being swept up and into strong arms, Severus he cried mentally and buried his face into the man’s robes, everything would be okay now, Severus would make everything okay. He could feel himself relaxing as those strong hands rubbed his neck and wings.

::::::

Hermione Granger left the library with just enough time to return to the Gryffindor Common room before curfew, leaving a few spare minutes of course, just incase she got lost. She liked the library because she liked to know what was going on around her, what had happened in the past and because none of the other Gryffindors in her year had yet to start studying there.

She wondered where Harry Potter was, she had read about him and while the rest of the Gryffindors assumed the boy was getting special training, Hermione wasn’t so sure. The teachers had looked as surprised as the students that he hadn’t come forward at the sorting.

She wondered if it would have been different in the common room with him there, wondered if Weasley wouldn’t pick on her so much, if the girls wouldn’t pick on her. But she knew things would probably be exactly the same, the same as it had been in her old school, she had hoped here would be different.

Hermione had just turned the corner from the library corridor when she heard his voice, she recognised the tone and voice: Weasley.

“Well if it isn’t the Greasy git’s little pet.”

Hermione ran towards the voice as she heard the sounds of whimpering and kicking. She found three of the boys in her year beating up the Potion Professor’s pet, she didn’t care what it would gain her, only that she had to stop them. She knew that she couldn’t overpower them but she was better at magic than them, she had just read about a spell and just hoped she could do it.

Lifting up her wand, Hermione concentrated as hard as she could and shouted the spell, “Expelliarmus.”

Hermione gave a sigh of relief as the three boys flew away from the cub and landed on the other side of the corridor, stunned. The cub, Peorth was curled up on the ground, whimpering and shaking, she wrapped him in her arms, stroking his head, trying to calm him. She had no idea what to do now, the boys wouldn’t be out of the way for long and she couldn’t carry Peorth.

Just as she was about to get up and try the levitating spell she had just learnt, Peorth was being pulled from her arms. She looked up, ready to fight the boys offbut sighed a breath of relief when she recognised Professor Snape. The cub also obviously knew who it was because he made a sound that was both relief and pain and buried his face in the professor’s robe.

“What happened Miss Granger?”

Hermione looked up at those onyx eyes but couldn’t say anything, she didn’t want to to the truth and be disliked even more from her own house but neither could she lie to a member of authority.

::::::

Severus had finished his marking and was getting a drink of water when he glanced at the clock and noticed it was nearly curfew, time for his cub to come back from where ever he had been. He was about to call out through the bond when the first pain hit him, reaching along the bond all he could feel was pain and fear. Severus glared at anyone who was silly enough to look at him wrong as he followed the bond to his cub. He used occumencly to block Peorth’s pain from his body without blocking their bond, he knew that Peorth needed the bond, he was scared.

He found him near the library in Granger’s arms, it obviously wasn’t girl who had hurt him as Peorth had calmed down slightly but it didn’t stop him from sweeping the cub into his arms. Severus felt the relief that his arrival had caused across the bond and smiled internally as Peorth buried his head in Severus’ robes.

He looked down at the Gryffindor still on the ground, “What happened Miss Granger?”

The bushy haired Gryffindor just stared at him, she didn’t move or say anything and Severus had no idea how long they would have stayed like that if a moan hadn’t drawn their attention to a the three other Gryffindor’s on the other side of the corridor, Weasley, Thomas and Finnegan.

“Peorth what happened?” He asked quietly of the cub still buried in his robe. In reply he was sent a series of images, it was flashes of what was obviously the three Gryffindors that were still moaning on the floor attacking him interspersed with flashes of a grossly overweight man that his cub was petrified of and looked strangely familiar.

Leaving Granger where she was, he approached the three males as they returned to their feet. “As Miss Granger is not speaking perhaps you would care to tell me what happened?” He demanded in his coldest voice.

He knew what Peorth had told him but he wanted to know what the brave and courageous Gryffindors would say and how many more points he could take off them. He would have gone for expulsion but doubted the headmaster would let him, points and detention would do for now. Of course a letter would go home to all their parents and the Howler from Weasley matriarch would be fun to listen to.

“We found him like that, Granger thought we were attacking him and attacked us.”

Severus sneered at the redheaded idiot, he couldn’t even lie well. “Fifty points from Gryffindor, each, for beating up a defenceless Animal and three weeks detention with Filch for lying to a teacher.” Argus would appreciate the help and opportunity to torment the first years. Severus knew he had to get Peorth to the Infirmary and let Poppy have a look at him so decided that would do for now, as he was walking back past Granger another thought occurred to him. She deserved some sort of reward, “Miss Granger every night for the next ten days at seven I will be working on some potions for the infirmary you are welcome to help if you wish.”

The girl stuttered for a few seconds then finally replied, “Yes sir.”

Severus nodded and strode towards the Infirmary, smirking at the gullibility of Gryffindors. She was clever enough to help him and do work that he would have to charge most people for but she would think of as a treat.

He reached the Infirmary within a few minutes, calling for Poppy as he walked in. “Severus, what’s wrong?” She asked as she came out of her office.

“Three of the first year Gryffindors thought it would be a good idea to beat Peorth up,” Severus replied putting the small cub on one of the beds.

“Oh you poor thing,” Poppy said as she started fuss over the small cub, who was tolerating the hands but Severus knew wanted to be back in his arms.

“I’ll stay right here Peorth, but you’ll feel better after Poppy has fixed you up.”

Peorth whined but stayed still and let Poppy check him over. “Nothing too serious, a few cracked ribs and some bruising.”

“Serious enough,” Severus growled, stroking the small head roughly, trying to comfort Peorth but feeling too angry. How dare those Gryffindors hurt his Cub?

“He was injured when you found him I believe.”

“Yes, Hagrid healed him.”

“Do you remember how he did it?”

“Healico-Summa.”

Poppy just nodded and waved her wand, saying the spell, a few seconds later Severus felt Peorth relax as the pain from his ribs disappeared. “There is not much i can do about his bruises.”

“I have something from Hagrid that will help,” Severus replied.

“Good, I think he would prefer to be back in your quarters, there is no reason for him to be here.”

“Thank-you Poppy.”

“I trust that the perpetrators have been punished.”

“Yes, don’t worry.”

Poppy chuckled, she knew that tone from the younger wizard, the students would regret hurting what Severus classed as his.

::::::

Harry lay on the floor in front of the fire, strong hands rubbing the familiar cream into his bruises stopping them from aching so much. He snuggled further into the thick rug that smelt like his human and allowed the hands to relax him. But he was slightly worried, he knew that Severus had been to see his family and that when he had been telling Severus what had happened some images of his uncle had seeped through. He just hoped that his human wouldn’t make the connection, he wouldn’t be able to stand Severus hating him.

There was a bang on the door and Severus left him in front of the fire to enter it, he tipped his head back and listened, trying to work out who it was.

“Minerva,” His human said.

“Severus may I come in?”

“Of course.”

Harry listened to the footsteps and looked over as Severus came in followed by the cat smelling lady, Professor McGonogall, the head of Gryffindor. “How may I help you Minerva?” Severus asked he returned to his place and carried on rubbing the cream into Peorth’s skin.

“Give Gryffindor their one hundred and fifty points back, you can’t remove that many points for being out after curfew when it wasn’t even curfew yet.”

The hands on his back froze and Harry could feel the anger coming from his bonded, not anger at him but at the Gryffindors who had beaten him up and pretty much everyone else in the world.

“I think I will add another week of detention on for that.”

“Detention?” Minerva asked.

“I not only took fifty points off them each but also three weeks of detention with Argus.”

“Severus that seems a bit much for being out after curfew especially when it was still before curfew.”

“Yes I would agree with you if that was why I had punished them.“

Minerva sighed, Harry could almost see her getting angry at Severus, “So why did you punish them?”

“Your precious Gryffindors attack Peorth, we have just been to see Poppy and thankfully he only had a few cracked ribs. I don’t even want to know what state he would have been in if Miss Granger hadn’t stopped them.”

“Miss Granger stopped all three of them from hurting Peorth?” Minerva asked in shock.

“Yes.”

Slowly the confused look vanished from Minerva’s face to be replaced with an angry and determined look, “Those three will regret ever lifting a finger to harm Peorth. Have you done anything about Miss Granger?”

“She is coming to help me with potions for the next week and a half.”

Minerva nodded, “I will see you in the morning.”

Harry watched her leave and butted his head against Severus until the hands carried on stroking the cream in. Harry was worried about Severus finding out but he was warm, his human was there and he was safe so he slowly drifted off, trusting Severus to carry him to bed. Life was good, was his last thought before sleep had him.


	7. Fear and friends

Severus decided to carry Peorth to breakfast, he knew that Peorth could walk but he wanted to carry his cub, wanted to keep his cub away from the stupid idiots, otherwise known as students, who might hurt him. The part that annoyed him the most, and he would be discussing torture techniques with Argus in the very near future because of it, was that Peorth wanted to be in his arms because he was scared of the students.

On arrival in the Great Hall instead of running over to the Slytherin table and greeting Draco as he had done for the past few days, he looked over at Draco gave a shiver of fear and frantically tried to get closer to Severus. Severus cursed the youngest male Weasley, swearing the redhead would never pass potions as long as he was the Potion’s Master at Hogwarts.

He cast a silencing and obscuring spell around them, he may have gone soft on Peorth but the rest ofthe school didn’t need to know that, “Why don’t you want to eat your breakfast with Draco this morning?” He asked as he stroked the soft fur behind Peorth’s ears, knowing it would calm his cub.

Peorth just tried to get inside Severus’ robes, the only thing coming across their bond was fear. Severus was going to have to think up a punishment so bad that it would scar the youngest male Weasley for life, he had no doubt that the twins would be able to help him with some inside information.

“Peorth, Weasley and his friends are not here and no one here will hurt you. They are stupid boys who don’t have the common sense of a house elf. You know Draco would never hurt you, just as I wouldn’t and I didn’t think you would ever hurt him but you are.”

The small dark head popped up and gave an inquisitive squeak.

“Look at him, he is upset and hurting that you are scared of him, “ Severus said, pointing out the small blond to his cub.

Draco was staring at the pair of them, his face blank but his eyes showed the pain, especially when he looked down at the bowl of fruit in his hands.

“He is your friend, he cares for you and I know you care for him, don’t make him suffer just because some silly Gryffindors are cruel idiots. I should know because I went to school with some but I did not let them ruin my life using fear and I will not let them ruin yours. You are brave Peorth and neither I nor Draco will allow anything to happen to you. Now go and eat breakfast with your friend, I will see you afterwards.”

Severus lowered the spells obscuring them and placed Peorth on the ground, he could still feel fear pouring through the bond between them but the small cub stretched his wings and took off. Peorth circled the Great hall twice then glided to the bench beside Draco.

Severus didn’t let his mouth smile but his eyes did as he watched his cub nuzzle Draco’s cheek. Slowly the constant stream of fear over the bond lessened and changed to joy at breakfast and Draco’s stroking.

He ignored the staring students and took his place at the head table between Minerva and Vectra. “Where are they?” He asked Minerva as his bowl of porridge arrived.

“If you are referring to Weasley, Thomas and Finnegan then they are on punishment duty.”

This surprised Severus, he had never heard her speak of Punishment duty before, “Punishment Duty?” he questioned.

“Yes, I haven’t had to use it since your fifth year and a certain incident in the shrieking shack. Albus would not let me punish him more seriously as that would put Remus in trouble. But Blackspent three weeks on punishment duty, he slept in a separate room, ate meals alone and apart from going to classes was on his own. Not even the famed Marauders could get Black out of those rooms to cause mischief.”

Severus gave the strict woman a small smile, barley curling the sides of his mouth, “Thank-you.”

The older witch nodded her head, knowing that her young colleague was not only saying thank-you for punishing the boys who had hurt his bonded but also the boys who had hurt him. She had known that Albus couldn’t punish Black too harshly without putting Lupin in danger but she had still thought they had got off light which was why she had used Punishment Duty for the first time in over seventy years for him.

Thinking about that made her wonder about Harry Potter, she had known that leaving him at that house had been a mistake. They were not very pleasant people by any stretch of the imagination, just look at how hard it had been to get him his letter, they had had to send Hagrid in the end and now they couldn’t find the boy.

A trip back to the Dursley’s with some Versitium had revealed little more than they had already known, mainly how bad Harry’s home life had been and Vernon Dursley’s assurance that the little freak couldn’t have got far with a broken wrist and ankle. She had worked with Albus on many location spells over the past few days, trying to locate the boy but they had had no luck. It was like he had vanished into thin air.

With a sigh she turned back to Severus to ask him if he knew about any more obscure potions that would help them find Harry Potter.

::::::

Harry lay on his mat behind Severus’ desk, he knew he shouldn’t be scared, Severus was there in the room with him, he would never let anyone hurt “Peorth” but he couldn’t help it. The attack had come so suddenly and he knew they were still in school somewhere, what if they found him again and beat him even more? What if he had another flashback and Severus saw it and recognised Uncle Vernon? He wouldn’t be able to stand it if his human hated him.

It was the end of the day when he saw the familiar faces of Draco, Neville and the girl who had saved him, he didn’t know her first name, only what Severus called her: Miss Granger.He wanted to go and greet them but he also knew that the redhead and his friends were in this class, it was enough to make him shake in fear. He was still shaking trying to curl as small as he could when strong hands picked him up from under Severus’ desk where he had been hiding.

Harry let Severus hold him to his chest, he buried his face in his human’s neck and let strong hands stroke and calm him.

“Miss Granger where are Misters Weasley, Thomas and Finnegan?”

“Professor McGonagoll told me to tell you that they wouldn’t be attending your classes until Christmas, instead if you told her the potions they would do the theory in the back of her classroom during the lesson and then do the potion under her supervision on a weekend. She said that Peorth did not deserve to be tormented in his own lair.”

Harry purred and wriggled free of Severus’ arms, they wouldn’t be there but Draco was and so was Neville and Miss Granger. He greeted Draco first rubbing his nose against the Blonde’s hand before greeting and saying thank-you to Miss Granger by licking her face and finally taking the spare seat beside Neville.

“Well now you are ready Peorth we will begin.”

::::::

Severus watched as Peorth worked with Longbottom, there had been no stoppinghis cub once the youngster had realised that his tormentors weren’t present. He seemed to enjoy working with Longbottom and if it meant fewer exploded cauldrons he didn’t mind his cub helping the student.

When the bell rang it took only a few moments for the room to empty all except for him, Peorth and Miss Granger.

“Yes Miss Granger?” He asked as Peorth climbed into his knee, settling down in a ball like a house cat would.

“I just wanted to confirm that I could still come here to help tonight, I find potions so interesting, like when you mix dragon blood with crushed limestone-”

“Miss Granger I can assure you that as a Potion’s Master I know exactly what the reaction between dragon’s blood and Limestone,” he said cutting her off and hoped he could get through the next ten evenings with the small know it all without hexing her.

The Bushy haired girl blushed red and mumbled for a few minutes, “I’ll be here at seven,” she finally said in a small voice before backing out of the room as quick as she could.

“I suppose you are looking forward to her return,” he said to Peorth once the door had shut, his strong fingers already massaging the soft fur of his cub’s neck and back.

Peorth just purred and wriggled in his lap, letting Severus know through the bond that he liked the Granger girl as well as Longbottom and Draco. Severus was pleased to note that while two of three students his cub liked were Gryffindors, Draco was by far the cub’s favourite.

Severus continued to stroke his cub as he contemplated the bond between them, it was growing stronger all the time, allowing communication between them to grow. He wondered if it would ever grow so that they could speak to each other telepathically, he knew that Peorth understood English but wondered if the small Panivco could speak it.

His musings were interrupted by hunger that wasn’t his own, a growl and an image of a Great Hall filling his mind.

Severus stood up, making sure to keep hold of Peorth and shook his head to clear the cobwebs, “Yes I suppose it is time to be going for dinner, I wouldn’t want you to be hungry.”

Peorth yelped in happiness and rubbed his head against Severus’ chest.

::::::

Severus felt his wards announce the arrival of someone at the door to his classroom, a quick look using his security mirror revealed it to be Miss Granger and she was on her own. “She is at the classroom door, you know how to let her in and don’t forget your note,” Severus said without taking his eyes off the potion he was concentrating on.

The order had come while they were at Dinner, an emergency medical potion for one of his old students. Apparently her son had shown his first signs of magic and broken her bottle, she had enough for the next twelve hours but after that would slowly start to deteriorate. So he had given up his evening and a good part of his night to replace it, he just hoped that Peorth would manage with Miss Granger.

Peorth head butted his leg in good-bye and trotted out, his water and tooth proof note held tightly in his mouth. There was a small amount of fear coming across the bond but it made him happy to know that his cub was brave enough to meet Granger on his own. He was glad that his cub trusted him that much.

::::::

Harry opened the door and stepped back as Hermione stepped in, it had been Severus who had told him her first name and even though he liked the name, he though Mione suited her better.

“Professor Snape?” She asked as she came in.

Harry yelped and bounded over to her, she looked startled but then noticed the note, “Hello Peorth,” she said as she took the note from him. She read the note with one hand and stroked Peorth with the other.

Harry let her stroke him for a few seconds then left her alone to finish and went over to where Severus had set up the cauldron and ingredients. He knew what potion Hermione was supposed to be making, he had watched Severus make it and Severus had gone through it with him earlier

“He says that I am to follow the instructions and that you can help if I need it,” Hermione said in a timid voice from behind him.

Harry gave a positive yelp and dragged her over to the table before scrambling up onto the stool his human had kindly left for him so he could see what was going on.

::::::

Hermione had found that out of all the different subjects she had read about, Potions was probably the one she found the most interesting, the way that the different ingredients interacted and how the way you stirred could effect what the potion did.

Approaching the bench where Peorth was sat, she saw ingredient jars, hand written instructions and all the other equipment she would need. Reading through the instructions she recognised a low level healing potion that would heal small cuts and grazes. A Potion she guessed was used a lot in the infirmary.

It didn’t look very complicated so she started preparing her ingredients and talking to Peorth. Hermione found herself pouring her heart out to the small and attentive cub, telling how excited she had been when she had got her letter and how disappointed she was when the magic world had turned out just like the muggle world. She was still the cleverest girl in year and still had no friends, she wished sometimes she could keep her mouth shut and not show people up.

“You know what Peorth,” she suddenly said, turning to look at the small cub, she could have sworn he answered with a smile and a shrug of his shoulders, “I’m going to become the best witch ever and I’ll show Ron Weasley what a real witch is.”

Peorth grinned at her and Hermione carried on talking, telling the cub about everything she had learnt so far in lessons and from books and about some of the other things she wanted to learn. As she was finishing the potion she found herself telling the cub about what she had learnt about Harry Potter and the Dark Lord.

“I wonder where Harry Potter is, from my research he should have started school with me,” she said as she looked about for container to put the potion in. She knew that this potion would go off if it wasn’t put in an air proof container, “I know the headmaster says he is fine but he looked as surprised as the rest of the staff when he didn’t turn up for the sorting-”

Hermione was cut off as the door swung open and Professor Snape swept into the room, his cloak billowing around him. It would have been a very dramatic entrance if Peorth hadn’t yelped happily and thrown himself into the man’s arms. The Professor caught his cub and Hermione thought they looked quite cute, completely ruining any scary image she had of the greasy haired man.

Holding Peorth to his chest with one arm Snape approached her cauldron, he stirred it, sniffed it, tasted it and finally nodded his head, “This is acceptable Miss Granger, I am sure Madame Pomfrey will appreciate it. You may return tomorrow at seven if you wish to do another potion.”

“I would like that Professor,” She said, recognising a dismissal when she heard one, “Will you seal the potion?”

“Yes,” he said gruffly.

Hermione gave him a small smile and left, if she was quick enough then she could get a book on medical potions from the library and get back to the common room before curfew.

::::::

Harry sat comfortably in his human’s arms as Severus bottled the potion, “I trust you had no problems.”

Harry shook his head no, making sure to transmit it over the bond, it had in fact been a lot of fun and nice, learning about Hermione and magic and how the letter thing should have worked. Hermione was clever and had explained a lot of magic to him, it had been a lot of fun. She had also told him about being an Animageous apparently Professor McGonagoll was one, she could turn into a cat which of course explained the cat smell, rather than his first idea that like Mrs Figg she had what seemed like a thousand cats.

He wondered if that was what he was, he could turn into an animal and although he was fairly certain he could turn back into a boy, he wasn’t one hundred percent sure. Hermione had told him it took lots of training to become a proper animageous and he had had none but she had also told him that young children could do some amazing things with their magic when in trouble.

Either way it didn’t matter, he wasn’t ever going to turn into a boy again if it meant he would loose Severus.

“Good I will work in here tomorrow and she may assist. Are you tired or would you like a bath first?”

Harry was tired but he wanted a bath, it would help him relax and he wanted to be clean. He sent his human the image of a bath and then sitting on Severus’ lap while he read to him.

“I think that can be arranged,” his human replied as they started the trek back towards their room.

It had been interesting listening to Hermione telling him about him or rather about Harry Potter. He knew that he could be in Gryffindor with her learning magic but there wasn’t anywhere he would rather be than in his Severus’ arms.


	8. Twins and gifts

Harry ran between Hermione and Severus, he liked watching Hermione work, it was so different to how his human worked but no less effective but he always preferred to watch his human. Severus was so graceful when he made potions, it was Hermione’s third night of “reward” making potions. The previous night they had made a potion together but tonight they were making separate potions.

He was just returning to Hermione’s side when he heard a strange noise in his head that he knew came from Severus through their bond. He watched Severus cast a stasis spell on his potion and seal it stop anything falling in the half finished potion. “I must attend to some visitors, Peorth keep on eye Miss Granger and when she has finished join me in the upper year lab.”

Harry nodded his head and gave a “Yes” chirp.

“Miss Granger carry on as you are, bottle it when you are finished and label, I am sure Madame Pomfrey will be grateful for it in the infirmary.”

“Yes Professor.”

Harry watched his human go and started reading the recipe Hermione had been given, working out where she was. He hoped she started talking to him again and after less than a minute she did, telling him about her lessons for the past two days, having been too intimidated by Severus to do it the previous day.

::::::

Severus strode into the upper years lab, not surprised to find the Weasley twins setting up various cauldrons. The lab was for 6th and 7th years to work on private projects if they wished to, he had offered the twins space the previous year and had expected them earlier this year.

“Professor,” they said as he entered.

“Misters Weasley, I was expecting you a few night ago.”

“So were we Professor..... But then Ronald was rather stupid.... And we had to deal with him..... You will be pleased to know... that while he has already received a howler from our mother... we intercepted it and repeated it.... he will receive it in the Great Hall... the first day after his punishment duty.. has finished.” The pair said together in their twin speak.

“I trust that dealing with your brother was both humiliating and painful for him,” Severus said with a dark glean in his eye that the twins had never seen before but recognised, it was hate, concern and love all wrapped up together.

It didn’t take them long to realise that it was all for Peorth, this cold emotionless man loved his bonded cub and like any mother with a cub would attack anything to keep it safe. They were sensible enough not to mention this to the older man and instead stated telling him about the various punishments they were still working on for their youngest brother that would continue to be used over the following months.

::::::

Harry chirped good-bye to Hermione and entered the upper year lab. He saw his Severus and ran towards him, screeching to stop in fear when he saw the two red heads stood beside his human. Harry could feel the fear starting to swell up, fear of the red -heads, of his uncle and strangely of Severus.

::::::

Severus looked over as he felt Peorth enter the room and smiled at the small cub, he braced himself for an armful of cub when Peorth screeched to a stop and he could feel the fear. The Potions Master swore and moved quickly to sweep his bonded into his arms before a full panic attack occurred.

He ignored the presence of the twins, he could blackmail them later, his first and only priority at the moment was keeping his cub calm. He wrapped his arms around the small animal, ignoring the spike of fear at his touch, Weasley would be a shell of a human being by the time he had finished with the red head for making his bonded fear him.

He flooded their bond with positive emotions, caring and what he thought might be love, the love of a parent for their child, he half recognised it from his mother. He ran his hands over the soft fur, making sure to focus on the points where his cubs wings met his back, an area he knew was sensitive and calming for his bonded.

It took a few minutes but eventually Peorth was just snuggling into his front, returning his feelings across the bond. “You are safe my cub, no-one here will harm you.”

He just received an image of the twins overlaid with a picture of the youngest male Weasley.

“I have found that while the twins are pranksters are not cruel, I can almost guarantee that you will like them. I trust you remember the first day the students were here, how they protected you.”

Peorth gave him an affirmative squeak, then seemed to calm himself before wriggling free and approaching the twins. Severus knew the youngster was scared, he could feel it but he was also so proud of how brave his bonded was being.

::::::

Harry remembered them, they had stroked him and then protected him from a larger redhead. He walked slowly towards them and relaxed slightly when he found the scent, the scent that was like Severus but not and weaker. It was the same scent that Draco, Neville and Hermione all had, with varying strengths. The twins had the weakest amount of scent but it was definitely there.

He still nervous as he approached them but not scared, they had both crouched down and as he got closer they kept their hands low. He nuzzled against one then the other until fours hands were stroking him, he let out a purr and collapsed into their bodies.

Harry could feel Severus’ amusement through the bond but didn’t care, four hands was brilliant. They could stroke his head, back, tail and wings all at the same time, he could hear them speaking and focused enough to listen to them.

“..would never hurt such a beautiful creature.... Our brother is an idiot... And he will regret every having hurt... such a wonderful creature.”

They talked strange but Harry liked them, and as long as they kept doing exactly what they were they could stay.

::::::

Severus chuckled at the pure tactile pleasure that was coming across their bond from Peorth, the small cub was in heaven. For a split second he was jealous, he pushed it out of his mind but not before Peorth felt it and sent him a blast of love. Letting Severus know he was preferred above all others.

Sitting in the lab watching the Weasley twins pet his cub, Severus wondered what this small animal had done to him. It had been twenty years since he had let anyone dictate his feelings as much as Peorth did. His mother and Lily had been theonly other people who had influenced his emotions so much, like Peorth they had made him feel loved, cared for, and important in someone else’s world.

“As much as Peorth is enjoying your attention, I doubt this was the reason for your visit. Peorth come and sit with me so that the twins can work,” Severus finally said as he sat down at the desk in the corner and summoned the third year essays to him.

Peorth sent disappointment through the bond but obediently wriggled free and sat on Severus’ lap. Severus concentrated on the warm feelings he had for his cub through the bond, making sure that his cub knew he was wanted. He even went so far as to summon a bowl of raspberries for his cub as a treat, they were Peorth’s favourites.

He stroked Peorth with one hand while he marked with the other and kept an eye on the twins, making sure they weren’t going to blow themselves or his lab up. It was a nice way to spend the evening.

::::::

Severus slowly added the crushed tiger fangs, stirring slowly anticlockwise, the potion turned light green and gave off the faint smell of Strawberries. Letting him know that the potion could be left alone while he investigated who had tripped the wards in the lower years classroom.

He wasn’t that surprised to find Ms Granger stood just inside the door, “Ms Granger it is Saturday, we will resume with your extra lessons on Monday,” he said quietly but firmly, making sure she knew it a dismissal.

“I came to see Peorth,” she said quickly, holding her own ground, showing the courage that had earned her place in the Lion house.

“He is spending the evening with Mr Malfoy.”

Severus was very proud of his bonded, the young cub had been scared to be away from Severus but was being brave. Checking on his cub through their bond, smiling internally when he felt sleepy happiness. When Peorth noticed his attention he sent a burst of warm feeling before his cub returned to his dozing.

“Oh,” Ms Granger said, obviously disappointed.

Against his better judgement Severus did not chuck her out, “Why did you want him?” He asked patiently.

“I made him a gift,” she replied drawing a piece of green material from her bag, “It’s a neck warmer, I asked my mam to send it. I know he has fur but he’s only young and I didn’t want him to get ill. I started to write his name on it but wasn’t sure how to spell it,” she said, pointing at the silver “P” on the emerald material.

Severus wanted nothing more than to shoo her out of the door and deal with the strange jealousy he felt towards his cub and didn’t understand but he knew that Peorth would adore the present.

“It’s spelt P-E-O-R-T-H, pronounced P-yorth.”

The bushy haired girl nodded and drew her wand from her robes, he could almost see her concentrating as she gather her magic and finished the name in silver. Severus watched patiently as she changed the details, as picky as any perfectionist until it was finally finished to her high standards and she handed it too him.

“I am sure he will thank-you next time he sees you,” Severus said as he held the soft material, rubbing it between his fingers, feeling that strange jealously towards his cub again.

Ms Granger nodded and turned to leave, at the door she suddenly span around, rushed over to him, pushed another piece of material into his hand and disappeared with a mutter of: “This is for you,” before he could react.

Severus blinked and looked down at the black material, it took a few moment to realise that it was a soft black scarf with small cauldrons glinting on it as it moved. He felt the jealousy drain and realised to his horror that he had been jealous of Peorth getting a gift from someone he didn’t know. Except for the traditional bag of sweets and potion ingredients from Albus and the rest of the staff at Yule and his Birthday, he didn’t get presents.

He knew he would have to say thank-you to the girl, maybe add another potions lesson on after her original ten were over. Severus smiled into the room as he fingered his own soft scarf, he might also show her how to add warming chambers to clothing, it would make her gifts more effectively.

It hadn’t occurred to him that Peorth could get cold and he doubted his cub would, he wasn’t just furred but also a magical creature. Severus was sure thatPeorth would still wear the warmer because it had been a gift from Ms Granger.

Severus put both presents in their quarters before returning to his position, determined that this time he would get to the first stage of his wolfsbane potion.

::::::

Harry lay on Draco’s bed, his wing covering Draco’s back like he did to Severus when they slept. After spending his day with Severus, he had sat with Draco while the boy did his charms homework then they had sat by the lake and Harry had flown for Draco. He thought it was a pity that the other boy couldn’t fly with him on a broom like his Severus did. But he promised himself as soon as Draco could fly on a broom, they would spend hours flying together. They had returned to Draco’s dorm and laid down together, neither awake or sleeping, just drifting.

Harry had realised that Hermione and Draco were very similar, both clever, knew lots about magic and had no real friends. But unlike Hermione, Draco didn’t have any friends because they were scared of him being so clever, it was just the fact that Draco didn’t seem to like any of the boys.

Crabbe and Goyle seemed to very unintelligent and were heading for a life as Draco’s Goons, and Zambini was just creepy. Harry wondered if he would have become Draco’s friend if he had come to Hogwarts as a boy, he remembered Draco from Madame Malkins and was pretty certain they wouldn’t have been friends, especially after Hagrid had told him he would have been in Gryffindor.

But he knew he would have been missing something if Draco wasn’t his friend and was once more glad he had come as cub rather than a boy.

“Uncle Severus says he can see things that you send him and feel your emotions too,” Draco suddenly said, “I wish I was bound with someone like that so I was never alone.”

Harry sighed, he knew he could bond with Draco, something in the back of his mind as much but that something said it wasn’t time yet. He nuzzled against Draco’s neck, marking the youth, making sure that anyone else who came close that like Severus, Draco was part of his pack.

A thin arm covered his back and Draco nuzzled back, “Thanks for being my friend,” Draco whispered as they started to drift asleep.

Harry briefly worried about Draco’s clothing but knew Severus would come looking for them and help him undress Draco. He took a deep breath and joined his pack mate in slumber, happy to be somewhere he was wanted.


	9. Quirrell!!

Severus entered the first year dorm and smirked at the site of Peorth and Draco wrapped around each other. Strangely he wasn’t jealous of Draco as he had been with the twins and Ms Granger, he knew that with Draco he was safe, that the boy would not threaten his bond with Peorth, he could only strengthen it.

He cast a privacy charm around Draco’s bed and slowly pulled the pair apart, ignoring the sleepy murmur and chirps of complaint until he had Peorth curled on the end of the bed and Draco changed into Slytherin Green Silk pyjamas. Severus tucked his godson in, kissing the pale forehead before scooping Peorth into his arms. A flick of his wand brought down the privacy charms and he was on his way back to his quarters.

He noticed Ms Granger’s presents on the table where he had left them but decided that they could wait until morning. All he could feel across their bond was sleepiness and he didn’t want to wake Peorth from his pleasant dreams. He hadn’t really thought of Peorth as young since he had calculated the cub’s age but since Ms Granger had pointed it out, he realised that relatively his cub was little more than a toddler.

He lay Peorth on their bed and wondered, not for the first time, if letting Peorth sleep with him was bad for the cub. There was no book telling him how to be a Panico Mentor, his most useful source of information so far had actually been Hagrid.

The Groundskeeper had explained earlier in his bond with Peorth that Panivcos were pack animals and as such would sleep together. Hagrid had assumed him that it was perfectly normal and that if Peorth ever did want to sleep on his own he would let Severus know.

In a way he was also worried about himself, outside of the occasional one night affair he had never been in a relationship and up until Peorth’s arrival had slept alone. He didn’t know if he wanted or even could go back to sleeping alone without his cub in his arms.

He put the thought out of his mind, deciding not to worry about that bridge until they crossed it. Severus got ready for bed, it was a bit early but he was as tired as Peorth was. He climbed into bed with his cub, smiling contentedly as he was immediately covered by a wing. Life was nice, he thought as he drifted to sleep to join his cub in dreams of catching the snitch.

::::::

Harry yawned and plodded through to their sitting room where Severus was sat sipping his first cup fo tea of the day while reading a potions journal.

Harry just yawned again and crawled into his human’s lap, starting to drift back to sleep as Severus alternated between drinking his tea and massaging Harry’s neck.

“Ms Granger brought you a present last night.”

Harry looked up in surprise, he couldn’t remember anyone ever getting him a gift, the Dursley’s certainly never had and he couldn’t really remember anything before than. He let out a confused but excited chirp.

“Accio Peorth’s Neck Warmer,” Severus said and a few seconds later a piece of material was being held up for his approval. He saw that part of it was a different colour and let out a happy chirp when he recognised his name, there was no way that Dudley could steel it off him.

Then maybe for the first time since he last hobbled away from Four Privet Drive, he realised that Dudley would never even see him again, never mind steal his belongings. He let out a very happy chirp and stretched out his neck, sending an image of him with the neck warmer on to make sure Severus knew what he wanted.

His human carefully put the warmer on him, making sure his fur was all laying the correct way. It was the little things like that, that let him know Severus really cared for him.

Harry jumped from Severus’ lap and went to the mirror in Severus’ wardrobe, he looked very nice. He wondered what colour it was as he returned to Severus’ lap. Like everything else it looked grey, he just hoped it wasn’t red he didn’t want anyone to think he was a Gryffindor.

“It is a nice Slytherin Green and your name is in Silver, it looks very smart but now it is time for breakfast.”

Unlike during the school week breakfast was eaten in their rooms, Severus had explained the previous week that while the students were present they would always eat breakfast on a weekend in their rooms. Lunch and Dinner locations would depend on what they were doing and where they were.

“You may say Thank-you to Ms Granger tomorrow at breakfast before joining Draco,” Severus said as he their food appeared, Porridge with blueberries for Severus and what looked like stewed apple for him.

Harry smiled as he took a deep breath of the loverly smells, it had been an interesting few weeks learning what foods his animal form liked and didn’t like. He liked fruit, the sweeter the better, cooked or raw. He also liked some seeds and oats, sunflower being his favourite and strangely enough chocolate, but only if it was dark orange chocolate. He couldn’t stomach any meat and sometimes even the smell made him feel sick.

But stewed apple with sultanas, cinnamon, and honey was his favourite.

They ate in silence, as normal Harry finished first and watched his human eat with his chin resting on Severus’ thigh. “What do you want to do today?” Severus asked him, stroking his head and scratching him behind his ears.

Harry immediately sent an image of them flying together, it seemed like it had been weeks since he had got to fly with Severus.

“I should have guessed,” Severus replied drolly but Harry knew that Severus enjoyed their flying as much as he did.

“We are having lunch with Albus in this private dinning room. I am sure Fawkes will be there and you will be able to convince him to fly with you while I talk to Albus.”

Harry gave a happy, chirp, he had only flown with Fawkes once so far and it had been great. The Phoenix had shown him around the castlegrounds, pointing out good landing areas and where things inside the castle related to the outside. He liked the fact that he could talk with Fawkes, and that the Phoenix listened to him. Flying with Fawkes wasn’t as good as flying with Severus but the Phoenix had shown him how to fly. Fawkes had wings and had been flying a lot longer than Harry, he had shown him how to fly better. How to use his wings to be quicker, turn faster, be more elegant and all the things he imagined a real Panivco mentor would have taught.

“Well come on, Quidditch Pitch for a while, do you want to take the snitch?” Severus asked him.

Harry sent his bonded a picture of the snitch and one of the quaffles. He could hold the larger ball firmly in his front or back paws and they could play a mini game.

::::::

Severus watched his cub leave Albus’ office through his window, following Fawkes as they glided out of sight. He turned back to Albus, keeping an eye on the bond but knowing Fawkes would look after his cub.

“We are waiting for Minerva, Filius and Pomona and then we’ll begin.”

Severus nodded and settled into his seat, he knew that the meeting was to decide on a new DADA teacher. While Albus was coping with both the DADA position and his Headmaster’s duties, Severus was sure that the older wizard must be using a time turner and it wasn’t good for anyone to use it for too long. They needed a full time DADA professor.

It took a few more minutes fo the other professors to arrive, but they were soon all sat around Albus’ enlarged desk holding cups of tea or Hot Chocolate in Filius’ case.

“We had three applicants for the position, Gilderoy Lockehart, Finais Soten and Julian McTane.”

“Not Finias, he is a brilliant man but he would focus too much on the creation of the spells rather than the doing. He was always trying to take some magical item or spell apart to see how it worked. He may be an excellent spell crafter but a teacher he is not. You may remember him Severus, a Slytherin three years above you,” Minerva said before even opening any of the three files that Albus had handed each fo them.

Severus nodded, he did remember Finias, a very clever wizard who was always trying to alter spells and more often than not just altering the common room. “I remember Minerva and agree that he is not a suitable candidate,” He said firmly.

Albus nodded and turned to the next file, “Gilderoy Lockehart.”

It was Pomona who spoke first this time, “Please Albus, DADA is not aboutteaching the students how to have that perfect photo smile once someone else has killed the beast.”

Severus watched as Albus looked at the rest of the them, frowning when they all nodded in agreement with Pomona. The Headmaster put the second file out of the way and turned to the final one, Julian McTane. Severus didn’t recognise the name but from the look on the other’s faces obviously they did, sometimes he hated being the youngest head of house.

He opened the file and was greeted with an image of a wizard in middle age, about Minerva’s age he guessed, with dark red hair, small brown eyes and a deep tan. The photo was frozen in place, or so he thought until the man bared his teeth and vanished with an inaudibly growl.

It only took him a few moments to glance through the man’s credentials. Graduated from Ravenclaw House at Hogwarts in 1958, trained as an Auror but wasn’t really involved in the first war, instead he had spent years battling Vampires in Australia.

“He was three years ahead of me,” Minerva said, “An excellent student.”

“And as he is the only remaining candidate I will interview him this afternoon and hopefully he can start tomorrow, using the same lesson plans I have been usinguntil he can make his own.

“Now onto other matters: Quirinus Quirrell. St. Mungos have finished their autopsy and according to the mortician his skull was melted away, they aren’t sure what by but think it looks like a muggle acid. The only anomaly they have is that it looks like something melted him from the inside out.

“At the moment they are assuming that it must have been a DADA accident, a potion gone wrong. Severus you examined the body, do you agree it could be a potion?”

Severus steepled his fingers and sat in silence for a few moments to gather his thoughts before speaking, “When I examined the body, I also assumed some sort of potion, there are many that could it, mainly dark ones but I couldn’t detect any residues that they would normally leave. But I think I may have seen something similar in a book, if I may?” Severus asked, pointing to Albus’ floo powder.

The Headmaster nodded and two short floo trips later he was back with one of his family history books, one of the more gory ones that he wouldn’t allow Peorth to look at. It hadn’t been until Albus had mentioned it looking like Quirinus had been burnt from the inside out that he had remembered reading the entry during his blood thirsty younger ages.

The four other members of the staff carried on their small talk while Severus found the correct page. He coughed lightly and they turned to look at him, he took a deep breath and started reading.

“In1652, one Philias Snape was possessed by the spirit of a powerful witch but unlike a normal possession the spirit did not take control, instead lived almost like a parasite, the only evidence a face on his stomach. As the spirit couldn’t actually possess him, no-one knew of it until he married. It is written that she found it disgusting and demanded he found someway to get rid of it.

“Two months later he was found in his study with his stomach melted away. It was assumed he had tried to use a potion to burn it away. It wasn’t until nearly ten years later when his journal was found that they discovered he had tried to perform an exorcism.”

“You think Quirinus may have been possessed by a spirit this way?” Albus asked the twinkle gone from his eyes.

“It is a possibility,” Severus replied, “As you know an exorcism should never done by one person, at St.Mungos there is normally at least four healers present so that any excess energy produced by the spirit can be dispersed harmlessly. He was alone in his rooms, I detected no potion residue, I don’t know what his room looked like but as a DADA teacher I am sure that he would have all the things needed to perform an exorcism. Removing the spirit may have been what had melted his skull. The energy involved was literally so strong that it melted his brain.”

Severus leaned back and waited for it to sink in, Albus had lost his twinkle and Pomona looked slightly green around the gills, not that she actually had gills, he thought wondering why a muggle phrase made reference to a person having gills. Maybe before wizards had hidden themselves from the muggles, it had been widely used.

“Severus,” Albus brought his attention back from his mental ramble, he had always had a mental rambling problem but it seemed to have gotten worse since his bond to Peorth, not that he would change that for being alone again. He didn’t know if he could do alone again. “.....saying was true, we must discover what spirit it was and why Quirinusfelt he had to do this on his own, he must have known the risks.” Severus realised he had missed the beginning of Albus speaking and hoped the Headmaster hadn’t said anything important.

“Now onto other matters: Harry Potter,” Severus sneered at the name, wondering where the precious Potter was hiding, “I have still not been able to find him.” Severus blinked, he had assumed that Albus had the brat by now.

“I have tried all the searching spells I know, as have the Aurors. While they are unable to locate him, I almost seem to find him but something or someone is blocking me. He is under a magical shield so powerful that I can’t penetrate it, yet neither can I sense the shield. We are assuming that he has been kidnapped and is being held somewhere under ancient wards.

“Although an Auror team has visited 4 Privot Drive and spoken to his Uncle, they questioned him and then again under Versitiam in the hope that he was lying, unfortunately both stories matched, if anything the one under Versitiam was worse. I am reading directly from the transcript:

Auror - Mr Vernon we know that your nephew Harry Potter was returned here, where is her?

Suspect - I don’t know where the little freak is, like I told the other one, the little brat ran away.

Auror - After his return from shopping what happened to make him run away?

Suspect - Nothing more than the brat dissevered, we made him watch while we burnt his school stuff, there was no way we were allowing him to go to that freak school. While my Dudders got rid of that pesky owl, who uses animals to carry mail anyway. I beat the brat, he needs to beaten often to keep his freakishness in line before chucking him in his cupboard. He managed to run away before I could nail his door up, must have used his freakishness to unlock the door

“I will stop there, he goes on to tell the Aurors about how he has treated his nephew and none of it good. The same questions under Versitiam brought about more detailed answers, including a blow to blow recount of the latest beating. I am sorry to say that I made a great mistake when I placed Harry Potter with his Aunt and Uncle. All we can do now is wait for Harry’s Captor’s to let us know there demands.”

Severus sat quietly letting it all sink in, hoping that Potter turned up soon if only for Albus’ sake, he had never seen the Headmaster look so old.


End file.
